Many people walk around every day just existing. They may work a job, feed a family, attend a church, and play a sport, but they never really have a purpose to their life. What is your purpose in life? Where does that purpose come from? What is the meaning of life? Are you here to just stay busy or is their something bigger?
One can seek purpose in other people, but they are themselves seeking purpose. How then can people be the ultimate source of purpose? Some seek wealth, but many people have become wealthy only to feel hopeless and end their life. They didn’t see true purpose in their lives. The writer of the Biblical book of Ecclesiastes expressed this feeling, saying “Meaningless! Meaningless! …Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless” (Ecclesiastes 1:2).
So what is our purpose? Why are we in this world? A purpose must always come from outside itself. You don’t need to come up with your purpose – you need to discover it. A stove was created and designed to cook. There is a reason it doesn’t wash clothes. A television presents pictures and sound to entertain and inform. There is a reason it does not vacuum your floor. A bed was designed to give you comfort as you sleep. There is a reason it does not send faxes. The reason is because it has a specific purpose given to it by its designer. The Westminster Shorter Catechism contains several questions and answers. The most famous questions is “What is the chief end (purpose) of man?” The answer to this question is crucial: “Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever.” Jesus said (John 15:15) “I no longer call you servants… I have called you friends”
How can you have a purpose apart from your Creator? The person seeking a purpose apart from their Creator is living life like a cow trying to be a cat. You can’t experience full joy living apart from your true purpose. That is why we try to come up with a purpose on our own. I have found the true purpose! When someone asks why would I worship God, the answer is
1. Because he is worthy and
2. Because if you fully experienced true worship, you wouldn’t want to waste your time on anything else.
Our purpose is intimately connected with who God is (our Creator) and who we are (His creation). The Creator is seeking a friendship with you.
Dell makes some solid computers, but they know that problems happen. That is why it has an instruction manual and the ability to call for help. Our Creator has given us the same tools for when trouble happens. And that trouble has come. You instinctively know it. When you look around our world and see war, famine, and broken families, you know something is wrong. What happened?
One day a guy asked Jesus a question. “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: ” ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
Did you get that? Everything hangs on these two points. We need to love God with everything we are and to fully love people like ourself. Our purpose of loving God and enjoying Him forever was ruined when Adam fell into the temptation of disobeying God. Look at what Jesus said was essential for His kingdom. Have you kept these great commandments? We have all messed up and lost our purpose. How can we regain our purpose? How can we get back to a good kingdom without all the things that plague our world? Lets use the tools God gave us to fix the problem: read the manual and then call for help.
The Bible says “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23 The first thing we need to do is realize that we are the problem, not the solution. Because God is Holy and just, he has to make right the problems of our world: war, hunger, sickness. He also has to punish the personal sins of lying, stealing, lust, hatred, and any other multitude of wrongs we could have committed. But there is good news: “God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8 Jesus died on the cross as a substitute for the sins of this world. If we are to be saved, God must get all the glory. “He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy.” Titus 3:5 “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9 “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 6:23
How do we let the cross of Christ take our place of punishment when God comes to restore the world? The Bible makes it very simple. “If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.” Romans 10:9-10 “For God so loved the world that He gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” John 3:16 Jesus (God the Son) did this for you, and then he rose from the dead! He defeated death so that you may truly live!
You have read the words of God’s manual. Now it is time to call for help. Would you pray a prayer like this:
“God, I know you have a purpose and plan for me. I’ve been a part of the problem and messed things up. I’ve done wrong when I should have loved You and others instead. Please forgive me. I trust in Jesus to save me. I believe that He died on the cross to pay the price for my wrongs and that he rose from the grave. I want to be a part of Your kingdom! Please help me find my hope and purpose in You. You are my King and Savior. Thank you God. I’ll talk to you again soon.”
The Bible says “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (Romans 10:13) The moment you turn from a life where you are boss and turn it over to Christ as King and Savior, you have been what the Bible calls born again. You are a completely different person from the inside out. God has a purpose and plan for you! With God’s help, you can help bring the solution that this world needs to everyone around you. Here are some tips to get started:
1. Read the Bible. It’s God’s message to this lost and dying world! The book of John is a good place to start.
2. Find a local Bible believing church. This is God’s plan to reach the world!
3. Ask that local church to baptize you by immersion (dunk you under water) to represent death to the old self and rising to new life in Christ.
4. Tell people about how to find salvation and purpose through Jesus!
I’d love to hear if this site has helped you. Email me anytime at JRG39402@yahoo.com.
- Justin
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