Knowing God's Will for our Life: Part 1 - Our Purpose

If you have never asked this question for yourself, I am confident that you have heard someone you know ask this question for themselves: "What is God's will for my life?" Or perhaps they didn't ask the question, but offered it up as a statement of mystic importance: "I'm just trying to seek God's will for me right now." And, full confession, I've asked that question, AND I've made that statement before while trying to understand some major decisions: life after high school, collegiate pursuits, jobs, churches in which I've served, and of course relationships.

Here is another question that tends to raise more questions than it answers: "What is my calling?" Again, just the way that question sounds, or is asked by others ("What is your calling?"), it begs to be answered, but how do we answer it? What is a calling, and how do we go about figuring out what is our specific calling in life? Without realizing it, we do ask these questions, and they often start early: (speaking to a child) "Hey buddy, what do you want to be when you grow up?" Even at a young age, we thrust upon kids this idea that they have to know what they want to do with the rest of their lives. We may not intend the gravity of all that that implies, but nevertheless…it fosters the notion that our lives have a specific track, and if we do not find it, we may not fulfill our purpose, plan, or calling.

What if I told you that God's will was not so complicated, or even so specific? What if I told you that the decisions that we make day to day, short term and long term, are not as weighty as we may think they are, but rather are details that God works out for us as we move forward in faith? Does that sound strange to you? It did to me. But, as I was struggling to understand God's will for my life in the details, He was gracious enough to knock my feet out from under me (more times than I care to admit) so that I may see the Purpose and Plan for my life that He has outlined through His Holy Word.

THE PURPOSE

The purpose of our life can be summed up in three points: to KNOW, to REPRESENT, and to GLORIFY Jesus Christ. The purpose of our lives is, from what I can understand in scripture, is just that simple. Too many times it seems that we want to think of our purpose in terms of major life events like where we go to college, our major, our career path, who we marry, where we live, and the like. As we study the scripture, however, the ultimate purpose of our lives is simple, and is completely consumed in our relationship with Jesus Christ.

Knowing Jesus

"This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent." John 17:3

“Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ” ‭‭Philippians‬ ‭3:8

The greatest, and most important thing that any person made in the image of God can ever do is to know Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. This is our Salvation! Christ emptied Himself of all His glory to take on the form of a servant that He might take up our sin as He endured the wrath and judgment of God on our behalf. He did not owe this to us, and we absolutely did not deserve this favor from Him, but nevertheless, He was obedient, even unto death on a cross. He was then resurrected, defeating our mortal enemy, Death, and is not seated at the right hand of God as our High Priest and Intercessor. What a blessing to know this Grace, to receive it, and to really KNOW Christ in this way.

Representing Jesus

“Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.” ‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭5:20‬

“And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” ‭‭Colossians‬ ‭3:17

Once we KNOW Jesus Christ, it is then our purpose in this life, as His Ambassadors, to represent Him in everything we do and everything we say. We are meant to imitate Christ, and to shine His light in this world of darkness. We are meant to display His love to others by demonstrating that same love among one another. We are meant to be vessels of grace and forgiveness, as we have been recipients of that same grace and forgiveness. It is not an easy task to bear the name of Jesus Christ, and to be His representative, but it is indeed a blessed life when we are willing to walk worthy of that call.

Representing Jesus

“He must increase, but I must decrease." ‭‭John‬ ‭3:30‬

“May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” ‭‭Romans‬ ‭15:5-6‬

Once we KNOW Christ, and seek to live as His REPRESENT Him in our lives, we then begin to GLORIFY Him by our obedience. One of the most important things that we can learn as we come to know Jesus Christ is just how undeserving we are of Him. Recall when John the Baptist's reply to the Pharisee when they questioned whether he were the Christ: "I baptize with water, but among you stands One whom you do not know. It is He who comes after me, the thong of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie (John 1:26-27)." John knew Who he served, and when the time came for Jesus to step forward, John was prepared to step backward (as referenced above in John 3:30). By our knowing Him as our Savior and Lord, by our living to Represent Him in all we do and say, we Glorify Him among a world that desperately needs Him. He alone is worthy!

When we stop to consider these three things - to KNOW, REPRESENT, and GLORIFY Jesus Christ - all other life decisions pale in comparison. Not they are do not matter at all, but they take their proper place in our lives as secondary to our ultimate purpose.

May you Know, Represent, and Glorify Jesus Christ…

Now and forever…

Amen