The Purpose of Life

If I were to ask you your purpose in life, how would you respond?
I’m not talking about the “biblical” response just because this is a Christian website. What comes to the forefront of your mind? Maybe your response is a godly one. I’ll chat about that in a minute. But, honestly…”WHAT IS YOUR PURPOSE IN LIFE?”
I could list:

• To make and keep my man happy
• To raise my children to be independent, godly, secure, and happy and…
• To be the best teacher I can for each of my students on a given day

Sometimes I feel, especially when my children were young, that my purpose was/is:

• To be a taxi driver/nurse/counselor/chef/housemaid/laundry lady/_______ (you know this blank could be filled with a plethora of “to dos”.)

Well, here’s what got me thinking about “the purpose of life”:  A few days ago I wrote a journal entry titled “Being Still” (click here to view). I describe my reluctancy to go to my husband’s hunting camp, but how it ended up being just what The Good Doctor ordered. In the entry I mentioned “the ‘bunk house’ accommodations were totally a ‘girl-free-zone’”. Well, allow me to elaborate a bit on this. I took a shower with A FROG and splashes of black around the tub and tile that wasn’t intended to be there! I texted by daughter that I felt like I was staying at summer camp with boys because of the smell. The sink had spider webs in it. What!!? When I verbalized my disapproval of the spider web sink, that is when Tim informed me about the other house (the clubhouse) where they cook in and hang out in, and that they NEVER use this kitchen. Well, THAT was obvious. (And you’re thinking, “I thought you said it was ‘just what The Good Doctor ordered’”? Well…it was. You’ll just have to read that article to see why.)
I marched over to the clubhouse to unload our groceries. I opened the refrigerator and, WOW, I don’t believe it had been cleaned out in…quite some time. I asked Tim if I could get rid of some science experiments and expired containers of condiments and other perishable items. He agreed. For example, the date I was there was September 2016. Some items expired back in 2014-15. Really?!  He called the owner and mentioned what I was doing. He told Tim to let me know that I could go through the freezer as well. Well, I left that one for the boys.
This “chunking” of expired items continued through two tall cabinets. I must say, these men know how to eat! If only they would have eaten all BEFORE they had expired.
Then…THIS is when “the purpose of life” thought occurred. I glanced down under the stainless steel island and noticed a bag of about five large onions. The onions were unrecognizable. I could only tell they were onions because of the packaging. When I lifted the bag from the concrete floor, bugs became dissatisfied with me because I vandalized their nutrient-filled and moist home. The stench became obvious. The now black contents were tossed into the garbage, as they left their mark on the floor. OH MY! That was my final cleaning stage for this trip. I’m done. Time to relax.
These onions once had a purpose. I actually did a little research and found that they have a surplus of purposes. (Checkout OrganicFacts.net to read about some benefits and purposes of onions.) The objective of this particular bag of onions were to enhance whatever scrumptious meal the gentlemen were conjuring up for that day. That was all before they were left behind once the prior hunting season was over.
Okay, now the godly answer…Yes, we Christians do have a purpose in life.
In Ecclesiastes 12 ALL people are commanded to “Remember”.

“¹Remember your Creator while you are young, before the bad times come—before the years come when you say, “I have wasted my life.”… ⁴Remember Him before the door to life’s opportunities is closed…⁵Remember Him before you become fearful of falling and worry about danger in the streets; before your hair turns white like an almond tree in bloom, and you drag along without energy like a dying grasshopper, and the caperberry no longer inspires sexual desire. Remember Him before you near the grave, your everlasting home, when the mourners will weep at your funeral…¹³Here now is my final conclusion: Fear God and obey His commands, for this is everyone’s duty.”

Not only just “remember” Him, but to fear/RESPECT God and OBEY His commands. THIS is EVERYONE’S duty.
When we do this, everything else will fall into place. We show respect and obedience because we love Him. When we love God first, above all things, our focus is set on a perspective that is much greater than ourselves and the reward in the end is sooooo worth it.
Matthew 28:19-20 reads, “Go out and train everyone you meet, far and near, in this way of life, marking them by baptism in the threefold name: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Then instruct them in the practice of all I have commanded you. I’ll be with you as you do this, day after day after day, right up to the end of the age.”
This directs us to go out and share Jesus’s love with all. You can be a missionary for Christ in your home, work, town, or whatever distance you may travel. Don’t be afraid. God has already gone before you and is with you!
So, besides all the purposes we tend to prescribe ourselves in life, our main purpose in life is to:

• Remember Him.
• Respect God.
• Obey His commands.
• Go teach and share Jesus Christ with others.

You can do it. You won’t regret it! And…when we do what God desires for us to do before we set out on conquering our “Purpose” in life, He will bless each of you…according to His purpose.
Oh, if you haven’t read the book The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren, GO! Go get it and read it.
Oh, oh, and on an ending thought…would I make that trip to the hunting camp again? Absolutely! If they’ll have me back. (*wink*)
Have a wonderful day.
I pray that you will enjoy soaking up THE SON every moment of each day. –Stephanie