Show Notes
“God was thinking of you long before you ever thought about him. His purpose for your life predates your conception. He planned it before you existed, without your input! You may choose your career, your spouse, your hobbies, and many other parts of your life, but you don’t get to choose your purpose.”—Rick Warren, in ‘The Purpose Driven Life.”
Atheist Bertrand Russell wrote: “Unless you assume a God, the question of life’s purpose is meaningless.”
Of all the books of the bible that challenge us regarding our purpose, Colossians stands at the head of the line. It not only challenges the notion that life is not primarily about us, but also shows, in no uncertain terms, Christ's supremacy. Our purpose is about bringing glory to Jesus. Once we were darkness; now, by coming to Christ, we become light. Our lives reveal Christ to others.
David Robinson, a former National Basketball Association great, shares some insightful thoughts about life’s goals. “The goal of our lives is not our glory. ...trying to make life ‘all about us’ pushes happiness further out of reach. Our society is not wired for this kind of thinking. It’s a me-centric world out there, which destroys much of what should be good. Marriages are ruined when one or both partners focus on their own happiness. Successful men and women are ruined by their own success, believing they don’t need anyone else’s input. And for some, life’s troubles are magnified because they believe life is all about them.”
Today, as we look at a few verses from the last chapter of Colossians, we find significant instructions on what a Christ-centred, God-honouring life looks like and how it impacts others. Robert Wall explains our purpose within God’s community of faith. “The community that God has called out of the world for salvation by the gospel is called in turn to preach that gospel; evangelism is the church’s vocation.”
This kind of life brings joy and happiness because it is lived under the direction of God’s Spirit and His word.
