What's My Purpose - 1

What's My Purpose

February 2, 2020

Various

We’re going to start by getting pretty deep really quickly. "Why did God create you?" Or how about this, “Why in God’s name am I here?” Or very simply, “What’s my purpose in life?”

For the past few weeks, we’ve been looking at the fact that we’re in a spiritual war. Our enemy, doesn’t want us to be filled with joy, or even be happy. He wants us to be defeated. As he wants to steal and kill and destroy us. Yet, Jesus offers us abundant life in this world. How do we get there? Well, I believe I have a few answers for us.

We’ve looked at the spiritual weapons we can put on, so we can battle satan. We know what we can do, now it’s time to determine why we’re here, so that we can fulfill that purpose, and find fulfillment in God and live the abundant life in Christ.

For the upcoming weeks, we’re going to be looking at the answers to those questions. My hope is that when we come to the end of this series, we won’t shrug our shoulders and say “I don’t know!” We will know why God created us.

The choices we make every day; the things we value and desire; the way we invest our time and energy – all of these reflect some underlying belief about who we are.

The great poet, Robert Frost said:

In three words I can sum up everything I’ve learned about life. It goes on. That’s it. It goes on. You can actually buy that saying on canvas for $50. Really? Inspiring, isn’t it?

Even King Solomon questioned whether life had any meaning. In the Old Testament book of Ecclesiastes 1:2, 14, he wrote:

2 Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher, vanity of vanities! All is vanity.

14 I have seen everything that is done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity, a striving after the wind. - Ecclesiastes 1:2, 14

When he was 61, H.G. Wells said: "I have no peace. All life is at the end of the tether." In the early 1800's, the poet, Lord Byron said, "My days are in yellow leaf, the flowers and fruits of life are gone, the worm and the canker, and the grief are mine alone." Ralph Barton, one of the top cartoonists in the early 1900's left this note before taking his life: "I have had few difficulties, many friends, great successes; I have gone from wife to wife, from house to house, visited great countries of the world, but I am fed up with inventing devices to fill up 24 hours of the day."

You see we were made for a far greater purpose than just finding ultimate success or comfort -- because, we were made for God’s purposes! That’s right, the reason you are here, the answer to why am I here is summed up in one little phrase… You were made for God.

While we don’t study the catechism, I’m struck by the very first question of the Westminster Short Catechism -

What is the chief end of man? In other words, “what’s the purpose of life?”

The answer - To glorify God and to enjoy Him forever.

I love that! My purpose is to glorify God AND enjoy Him forever. I can only glorify God when I’m serving Him and fulfilling my purpose, as I understand Him and know Him and have a relationship with Him. I can only enjoy someone when I know them and have a relationship with them. The same is true about God.

Until we realize that truth, that we were made for God’s purposes then our lives will never make a bit of sense! You will look inside yourself for an answer and all you will find is more questions, and you can work on inventing a purpose for your life and work until your old and gray and your life still will not make sense unless you come to the realization that you were made for God’s purpose’s! There is a reason you are alive and it is for God!

Some people claim the meaning of life is entirely individual. Life has whatever meaning you give it. You alone determine what it means for you. And people have chosen all kinds of things to pursue as their own personal highest good -- Pleasure. Possessions. Power. Fame. Comfort. Family. Art. Beauty. Religion. World peace. Saving the whales. Saving the earth. Attempts to find meaning and purpose are endless.

But all of those miss the mark. They may be good things, but fundamentally, they they miss the mark because they start in the wrong place. They all begin with people. The right place to begin is not with ourselves, but with God.