June 26
2 Kings 15-16
Psalm 75:1-5
Proverbs 16:22-23
Acts 21
Life Purpose
“But I count my life of no value to myself, so that I may finish my course and the ministry I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of God’s grace.” Acts 20:24 HCSB
At the end of our lives, when we look back, I think most of us want to be able to say that we have finished our course and accomplished the ministry that God has given to us. We want to hear the words, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” Matthew 25:23 (HCSB) We hope to be able to say, “I have fought the good fight. I have finished the race; I have kept the faith.” 2 Timothy 4:7 (NIV) Unfortunately, I don’t think this is the norm. I don’t think many people finish the race and accomplish the ministry they have been given. To do that, we must be very intentional. We have to live our lives with a purpose. Most of us are just making it day to day with very little thought about God’s purpose and plans.
I guess the first thing we need to settle is that God has a ministry plan and purpose for each of us. Romans 8:28 tells us, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.” (NIV) The Bible is very clear that ministry is not just for ministers. We are all a part of the Body of Christ, and we all fit together to accomplish His plans. We each have a unique role that He has equipped us to perform. It is not for our glory or benefit, but for the benefit of the body and to bring glory to Him. Paul summed up his purpose in verse 24, “to testify to the gospel of God’s grace.” Paul examined his life and activities consistently to determine if they fit God’s purpose. Most of us probably don’t have such a concisely defined purpose like Paul, and our purpose may change with different seasons of our lives. We should, however, do as Paul did and evaluate our lives and activities consistently to determine if we are allowing Him to accomplish His purposes in and through us. This will require time alone with God so He can reveal His plans to us. We don’t decide what we want to do for Him, we allow Him to lead us and empower us to minister in an effective, meaningful way. You can’t get to the end of your life and look back trying to figure out if you did what you were supposed to do. It is a lifelong process of seeking and serving God that leads to finishing the course and keeping the faith. We must be diligent and purposeful, seeking Him every step of the way.
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