Genesis 1:27— “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” (NIV)
Ephesians 5:15-16— “Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.” (NIV)
Romans 8:12-17— “Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation — but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it. For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs — heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.” (NIV)
Life purpose — meaning — is inherent in a relationship created and redeemed by a loving God. You and I have significance. We have meaning. We are each a blend of talents, personality, tastes, culture, and history. From body type to the way we interact with the world, we are purposefully unique. Our God created and redeemed us with purpose and for purpose.
However, just because my life was created with purpose and was redeemed to that purpose, doesn’t mean I will live with purpose. There is free choice — and choice translates into options. Starting from a place of love and value is awesome, but it is only the start. At some point I need to move from understanding purpose to actually living on purpose.
Living on purpose starts with understanding that every aspect of our life can be used for Christ — even the mundane tasks of everyday life. I don’t believe in a superhero Christianity, a Christianity that plays out something like this: There is a moment of crisis. Then super Christian performs amazing action. Disaster is avoided, and people are saved (with maybe just a little residual awe for the whole process). Sure, miracles happen, but I don’t think crisis/drama/miracle is the normal routine for life. (And seriously, how many super Christians do you know?) While there certainly are those times and moments of big stands and huge victories, most of life is lived in the ordinary things. Dishes. Going to work. Driving. Taking care of kids. Loving people. On a scale of mundane to thrilling, life falls closer to the mundane side of the scale.
Of course, that’s only bad news IF life is about doing amazing things for Jesus. If it’s about loving Him and His people (first and second greatest commandments anyone?), then that’s no problem at all. Dishes, work, caring for our children… These become avenues where we live out the Father’s love and where we are transformed into God’s image.
I have often heard my roommate Moises pray, “Thank you, Lord, for one more day of life.” Honestly, this is something I normally forget to pray, but every time I hear those words I’m reminded that the present really is a gift. I love to plan for the future, but I don’t live in the future. I am alive right now. Living on purpose means living now, on purpose, in ordinary life. Those things that are important (like loving God and loving people) — those need to be a part of daily life.
Living with purpose — that comes as we realize the greatness of our God. Living on purpose — that’s up to you and me.
Today’s Post is written by guest writer Josh Okerman. Josh is a graduate of Wheaton College (IL) and grew up as a missionary kid in Kobe, Japan. Most recently, Josh worked as a department manager at Menards Hardware. He is now using his time to travel and invest as he prepares for the next stage of life.
A few days ago when reading a friend’s blog, I came across an entry that seemed to fit with our discussions this week. My friend Nathan takes an interesting perspective on patience, shifting the focus from our patience, to God’s patience. I’ve reblogged his entry here with his permission. Nathan and I pray that God’s word (and Jonathan Edward’s words) would be an encouragement to live before God in holiness and thankfulness. -Ted Cockle
There’s nothing that makes me more thankful on a Friday than a swift, sanctified kick in the pants from Pastor Jon Edwards. As soon as I become presumptuous about my life (which often bears itself out in the form of anxiety and impatience), I do well to be reminded of the Lord’s great patience toward me (2 Pet 3:9). Indeed, Edwards offers this morning a good word to give your world, and your place in it, divine perspective. Savor here the mercies and patience of our King.
“Were it not that so is the sovereign pleasure of God, the earth would not bear you one moment; for you are a burden to it; the creation groans with you; the creature is made subject to the bondage of your corruption, not willingly; the sun don’t willingly shine upon you to give you light to serve sin and Satan; the earth don’t willingly yield her increase to satisfy your lusts; nor is it willingly a stage for your wickedness to be acted upon; the air don’t willingly serve you for breath to maintain the flame of life in your vitals, while you spend your life in the service of God’s enemies.
“God’s creatures are good, and were made for men to serve God with, and don’t willingly subserve to any other purpose, and groan when they are abused to purposes so directly contrary to their nature and end. And the world would spew you out, were it not for the sovereign hand of him who hath subjected it in hope.” (Works of Jonathan Edwards 22, 410)
Breathing air and having lifeblood flow through my heart this morning, there is nothing else to say save that our God is immensely patient and kind. Think on how many seconds and minutes he has kept you alive since you were born. He who has been this patient with you thus far, who has given his own Son for you and for your salvation, how will he not with him also graciously give you all things? How can you today withhold your trust from such a proven God?
“Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.” -Matthew 6:28-29
Nathan currently resides in Colorado where he is working as a programmer as well as a teacher/theologian. He earned his undergraduate and graduate degrees from Wheaton College (IL), the latter being a Masters in Biblical Exegesis. More of his thoughts and insights can be found at his personal blog Here and There.
As we celebrate a new year, I’ve been thinking about newness. New life, new birth. One of my friends recently wrote on her Facebook page that 
birthdays are great – they make you feel so popular for one day of the year! It’s true, birthdays do make you feel special. They’re an opportunity to celebrate uniquely, wonderful you and the life that you’ve lived.
Those of us in Christ have the overwhelming privilege of being able to celebrate two birthdays – the day we were born to our mothers and the day we were born again into the family of God. For some of us, our second birthdays happened early on, perhaps only a few years apart from our first birthdays. For others, it was a long, hard road to get to our second birthdays, and we are grateful for God’s grace leading us along the way, even when we ignored it, scoffed at it, or hated it.
Take a moment today to think about your second birthday. As the new year begins, remember the day your new life in Christ began. Was it a difficult day? Did you cry? Did you feel peace? Did you know how much it would change you?
For me, the day of my second birthday was the week before I started high school. I had been raised in the church, and I had given my heart to Jesus as a small child. But when I was old enough to start thinking critically, I wondered if my blind faith in Christianity was sincere or if it was simply the product of my family and my culture. As a young adolescent, I decided I didn’t really believe in God. I was still forced to go to church, and I tried to make the best of it by hanging out with my friends in youth group. But I resented church, and I couldn’t wait until I was old enough to choose not to go to church anymore.
The day of my second birthday, I was at youth group. Several of my friends from school were there – friends who came to church off and on, but really weren’t into religious stuff any more than I was. They would sing the worship songs during service, and they would listen to the pastor preach his sermon, but they never responded to altar calls, and they never participated much in small group discussions. I knew they didn’t think church was very cool, beyond getting free food, playing fun games, and hanging out with friends. In spite of the presence of these friends at youth group that week, at the end of the worship set, when the pastor gave an altar call and asked anyone who “needed something more from God” to come up and receive prayer, I felt compelled to go up to the front of the room. From what I remember, there was nothing particularly wrong in my life that day. I wasn’t sad, I wasn’t looking for something. I just felt inexplicably drawn to respond to the invitation to come forward.
I stood nervously at the front of the room as the pastor and a few other leaders began praying over the other kids at the altar. When they got to me, the pastor said, “God just told me He is going to show you something you’ve never seen before.” My internal panic button went on. What did I get myself into?? I thought. I wasn’t entirely sure that I wanted to see something I had never seen before. What did that mean? Was I going to have a weird out of body experience or start running around the room, embarrassing myself? My thoughts drifted to my friends from school who were sitting a few feet behind me. I wondered what they would think.
I knew in that moment that I had a clear choice. I could harden my heart, as I had done so many times in the past and reject whatever this “something” was that God wanted to show me. I would retain my dignity in front of my friends. I would be safe. But on the other hand, nothing would change. My life would go on exactly the same, and I would never know what it was God wanted to show me. What if it was something good? The same courage that compelled me to go up to the altar in the first place that night enabled me to choose to receive whatever God wanted to show me. I took a deep breath, cleared my mind of doubt and worry, and let the pastor pray for me.
As he and the others prayed, a wonderful thing happened. It wasn’t physical, it wasn’t embarrassing, and I can’t even fully explain it. All I can say is that before that prayer, I wasn’t sure God existed. It was convenient for me to act like He did when I was at church around people who expected me to act that way. But in my heart, I wasn’t sure. And if He did exist, His existence didn’t mean much in my life. After that prayer, I knew more than anything I had ever known that God existed, and I knew that it mattered. It wasn’t as if I had a huge theological debate with myself and came out believing that God is love, that He sent His Son to save me from my sins, and that if I made Jesus Lord of my life, I would be saved eternally. I don’t think I actually formed those thoughts, and yet during that time of prayer at the altar, I knew they were true.
After we finished praying, tears were streaming down my face, and I went to the restroom to clean up. I remember staring at myself in the mirror and thinking, This is it. Everything changes. Everything is different now. God is real. For the first time, I wasn’t telling myself those things to try and work up some convincing faith to make the people around me happy. Instead, I was just acknowledging the truth. I went back into youth group and sat down, amazed that life was carrying on as usual. People around me were laughing, talking, acting as if everything was the same. How can they just sit here when God is REAL? I wondered. I felt like the outside world should reflect the dramatic shift inside of me.
Eventually I was able to get back to existing in the real world, but from that day, the day of my second birthday, I have carried with me the knowledge that God exists, that He loves me, and that He demonstrated that love through sending His Son to save me. I won’t say I haven’t wrestled with God and questioned certain aspects of my faith. But I have never since questioned His existence and His love. I am so grateful that God showed me “something I had never seen before.” I am grateful for new life in Christ, and I am looking forward to experiencing the new year ahead with Him!
Today, we’d like to offer an incentive for you to share the story of your second birthday with us. Email us your testimony of coming to faith in Christ. We’ll select a story to share on our blog, and if we select your story to publish, we’ll send you a free book. Even if your second birthday happened as a young child, tell us about your early family and church experiences and how they led you to put your faith in Christ. Every new birth in Christ is an exciting story to rejoice over, so no matter what your story is, we’d love to hear it! Please get your stories sent in no later than Friday, January 15. You can send them to inspiredfaithangel@gmail.com. Happy writing!
