purpose

Wednesday, March 26, 2014 (7:42 a.m.)

Awesome, Holy God,

Good morning. I love You. I'm here. And I'm listening. Where would You like to lead us this morning? I came wondering about purpose. As in, doing things on...

I don't know that that's the best way to spend our time together so I'm truly asking that You would lead so I would follow.

(8:18 a.m.)

Thirty-three verses in The Message mention purpose.

Some, more easily than others, were readily bypassed on my way to where You might be leading me. Others had me reading even more deeply. Blessed Father, here again I pause to ask where You would most like me to spend this time together.

I know Your love and power through Jesus is involved. Many of the verses I've read reinforce that Truth. Sharing freely is also included.

Psalm 36:5-6, “God's love is meteoric, His loyalty astronomic, His purpose titanic, His verdicts oceanic. Yet in His largeness nothing gets lost; Not a man, not a mouse, slips through the cracks.”

Proverbs 16:1 “[Everything with a Place and a Purpose] Mortals make elaborate plans, but God has the last word.”

Proverbs 19:21 “We humans keep brainstorming options and plans, but God's purpose prevails.” Even more succinctly put, The Living Bible reads, “Man proposes, but God disposes [arranges].”

As Jesus promised His troubled disciples that His going away would yield them “a gift – peace of mind and heart!” (John 14:27), He followed with the urging, “If you loved me, you would be glad that I'm on my way to the Father because the Father is the goal and purpose of my life” (28b).

Blessed Father, I want that to be true of my life. To have You be my goal and purpose? I don't even know what that would look like. Oh, but I'd love to live as if it were so. Teach me. Show me. Enable and empower me in that direction.

My heart quickens as I continue reading Jesus' words to His followers. And now the tears. Not at all where I had expected to tarry.

John 15:11, “I've told you these things for a purpose: that my joy might be your joy, and your joy wholly mature.” I truly don't know what joy like that is!

The verses (12-15) that follow delve deeply into His demand that His listeners, “love each other as much as I love you” (v.12 – TLB).

The Life Recovery Bible comment for verse 15 tells that 'Jesus demonstrated Your desire to be our friend, not our taskmaster.' It goes on describing how few of us have “experienced God on such friendly, intimate terms.” Through this verse, “Jesus urges us to think again and trust” that You would become our friend through Him, empowering and enabling us to love as You would have us love.

Father, make that my purpose for this day. Do the work in me that You must, teaching me to love others as freely as Jesus did.

I love You. I long to love You better and well. Make it so this day. Thank You. I love You. Amen.

(523 words ~ 9:32 a.m.)