Purposeful Living - Part 1
Psalms 90 (KJ2000)
9 For all our days are passed away in your wrath: we spend our years as a tale that is told.
10 The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labor and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away.
11 Who knows the power of your anger? even according to your fear, so is your wrath.
12 So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.
The Ninetieth Psalm is titled "A Prayer of Moses the Man of God". In his prayer, Moses laments about the fact that the Israelites of his day seemed to be dying at 70, while the stronger ones seemed to only make it to 80. He prays for God to teach the Israelites to consciously number their days and thus walk in wisdom.
Every time we celebrate the beginning of a new year, let us be conscious that this means one less year we have to spend on earth. It isn't my place to speculate on just how long anyone will live, but I can safely state that with each passing day, the number of days you and I have to spend on this side of eternity is being reduced by one. That's one less day we have to achieve our purpose here on earth, whatever it is.
What Should Be Your Purpose as a Believer?
2 Corinthians 5 (KJ2000)
14 For the love of Christ constrains us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead:
15 And that he died for all, that they who live should no longer live unto themselves, but unto him who died for them, and rose again.
Paul states plainly that Jesus died and rose again for us so we would live for Him. Specifically, He died to redeem those who were already dead, His Life in payment for us, so that we would live our lives as His bond slaves. Properly understood, this means the overriding purpose for our lives should be to please the Master, and be ready to give a satisfactory account to Him when we stand before Him in judgment. Please look at some of the previous verses:
2 Corinthians 5 (KJ2000)
6 Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, while we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord:
7 (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)
8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.
9 Therefore we labor, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him.
10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that everyone may be recompensed for the things done in his body, according to what he has done, whether it be good or bad.
11 Knowing therefore the fear of the Lord, we persuade men…
Our fear is that we may not be accepted of God. This does not refer to being denied access to heaven, but failing to gain His approval of our labours in the ministry.
There are many believers who are obsessed with temporal achievement in this world. This is all well and good, but at the end of your days, you will be judged based on whether you lived your life for Jesus. Did you follow His plan and purpose for your life, or did you chase your own dreams and ambitions?
I invite you to prayerfully consider this question in this series.
Continue in grace!