"He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will rest in the shadow of the Almighty."
- Psalm 91:1 (NIV)
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Friday, July 8, 2011
Thursday, July 7, 2011
ReformedRev's Quote of the Day
"The Cross is God's truth about us, and therefore it is the only
power which can make us truthful. When we know
the Cross, we are no longer afraid of the truth."
- Dietrich Bonhoeffer
power which can make us truthful. When we know
the Cross, we are no longer afraid of the truth."
- Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
The Purpose of Life is a Life of Purpose
As a minister I am often ask this question,"What is the purpose of life?" Recently I was asked this question by a fellow traveler on a flight from Wichita to Atlanta. As it often does, the question began to roll around it my head. Then it starts: is this person looking for a short or long answer? Should I answer from a worldly perspective or a spiritual one? Since I don't really know this person well, do I go with a short pass or do I go deep? As I quickly pondered my possible answers a simple yet profound phrase popped into my head, "The purpose of life is a life of purpose." The phrase itself is not met to be a riddle but truly meaningful when given a bit more thought.
Most folks want to know their lives had purpose and were not lived in vain. All of us seek to leave a meaningful mark on the world and people around us. So living a meaningful life, a life of purpose, is important. Yet we have to believe how we define the word purpose will weigh heavily upon our direction in life and the choices we make. We can be purpose driven but without a clear idea of what our purpose is, the drive will be a frustrating and empty one.
Purpose is often defined by money and or possessions, the idea of materials success. It can be viewed by others as the gain of responsibility or even power, the position we hold in our jobs or society. The definitions or suggestions for a definition are endless. So I decided to be more direct in answering my fellow traveler's question. A life of purpose is knowing God and doing his will, even if it seems uncomfortable, out of step with society's definition of success, or just plain unpopular. The bottom line comes down to who are we really trying to please. As people we are created in the image of the living God, for his glory not our own, in order that we may come to know him, to worship his fully, and to do his will. Not always the easiest life, but a life of meaning and purpose, guaranteed to leave a mark on this world and the people around us.
It is easy for anyone to question life's purpose especially during difficult times. However, since I believe God is truly active in our lives I often remind myself of this by remembering Psalm 25:4-5, "Show me your ways, O Lord, teach me your paths; guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long." So the purpose of life is a life of purpose. In the end, the real question is simply who's purpose?
RefRev
Most folks want to know their lives had purpose and were not lived in vain. All of us seek to leave a meaningful mark on the world and people around us. So living a meaningful life, a life of purpose, is important. Yet we have to believe how we define the word purpose will weigh heavily upon our direction in life and the choices we make. We can be purpose driven but without a clear idea of what our purpose is, the drive will be a frustrating and empty one.
Purpose is often defined by money and or possessions, the idea of materials success. It can be viewed by others as the gain of responsibility or even power, the position we hold in our jobs or society. The definitions or suggestions for a definition are endless. So I decided to be more direct in answering my fellow traveler's question. A life of purpose is knowing God and doing his will, even if it seems uncomfortable, out of step with society's definition of success, or just plain unpopular. The bottom line comes down to who are we really trying to please. As people we are created in the image of the living God, for his glory not our own, in order that we may come to know him, to worship his fully, and to do his will. Not always the easiest life, but a life of meaning and purpose, guaranteed to leave a mark on this world and the people around us.
It is easy for anyone to question life's purpose especially during difficult times. However, since I believe God is truly active in our lives I often remind myself of this by remembering Psalm 25:4-5, "Show me your ways, O Lord, teach me your paths; guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long." So the purpose of life is a life of purpose. In the end, the real question is simply who's purpose?
RefRev
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
ReformedRev's Quote of the Day
All my request are lost in one,
"Father, thy will be done!"
- Charles Wesley
"Father, thy will be done!"
- Charles Wesley
Monday, July 4, 2011
Sunday, July 3, 2011
Things Happen, Really?
How many times have you heard the phrase "things happen"? I believe most of us could say we have heard it often. From family and friends, on television, maybe even from well meaning folks trying to help us through a difficult moment or event in our lives, "things happen." Yet as believers we know that is not the end of the story, there has to be more.
In chapter two of the Book of Ruth, verses 1-3, we find an example of this. The chapter opens with the writer telling us Naomi had a kinsman on her husband's side of the family, a man of substance named Boaz. The chapter then moves to a conversation with Ruth telling Naomi she would like to go out into the fields and glean for grain, since Ruth and Naomi have no one to support them. Naomi tells Ruth to go, and Ruth sets off. At this point we are not told who the fields belong to. Soon we find Ruth gleaning behind some reapers / harvesters and then we bump into somewhat of a strange phrase. Some versions use the words "she happened" or "as luck would have it" or "as it turned out" she ends up in the part of the field belonging to Boaz. But here we might ask ourselves if the writer of Ruth is making a big theological mistake. Things happen? Really?
As believers we all have been taught that things don't just happen. All things, all events, fall under the sovereignty and the providence of God. To think any other way would be unspiritual at best. Yet, I believe there is more than meets the eye here. I believe the writer is trying to get our attention, so we will look deeper. Ruth's ability to understand these events is limited. She cannot see, at this moment, how God will use Boaz to work his purpose in her life. Sound familiar? Like Ruth, we are at times limited in our scope of understanding. However, we have the added resource of God's Spirit and his complete word. We can lean on his Spirit, we can read his word, we can compare past events, and we can see his providence at work and how he is able to accomplish his purpose in our lives.
So the questionable phrase "she happened to" that I pointed out above may not be as questionable as we might think. The writer of Ruth is not on shaky theological ground. The phrase is used to drive home a deeper point, even when our understanding is limited, God is still working out his purpose for his people. He has not stopped being our God, even when our understanding of the events around us are limited.
In the end I am reminded of Paul's words to the Romans, "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called accruing to his purpose." Romans 8:28 (NIV)
Amen!
RefRev
In chapter two of the Book of Ruth, verses 1-3, we find an example of this. The chapter opens with the writer telling us Naomi had a kinsman on her husband's side of the family, a man of substance named Boaz. The chapter then moves to a conversation with Ruth telling Naomi she would like to go out into the fields and glean for grain, since Ruth and Naomi have no one to support them. Naomi tells Ruth to go, and Ruth sets off. At this point we are not told who the fields belong to. Soon we find Ruth gleaning behind some reapers / harvesters and then we bump into somewhat of a strange phrase. Some versions use the words "she happened" or "as luck would have it" or "as it turned out" she ends up in the part of the field belonging to Boaz. But here we might ask ourselves if the writer of Ruth is making a big theological mistake. Things happen? Really?
As believers we all have been taught that things don't just happen. All things, all events, fall under the sovereignty and the providence of God. To think any other way would be unspiritual at best. Yet, I believe there is more than meets the eye here. I believe the writer is trying to get our attention, so we will look deeper. Ruth's ability to understand these events is limited. She cannot see, at this moment, how God will use Boaz to work his purpose in her life. Sound familiar? Like Ruth, we are at times limited in our scope of understanding. However, we have the added resource of God's Spirit and his complete word. We can lean on his Spirit, we can read his word, we can compare past events, and we can see his providence at work and how he is able to accomplish his purpose in our lives.
So the questionable phrase "she happened to" that I pointed out above may not be as questionable as we might think. The writer of Ruth is not on shaky theological ground. The phrase is used to drive home a deeper point, even when our understanding is limited, God is still working out his purpose for his people. He has not stopped being our God, even when our understanding of the events around us are limited.
In the end I am reminded of Paul's words to the Romans, "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called accruing to his purpose." Romans 8:28 (NIV)
Amen!
RefRev
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