Created on Purpose, for a Purpose
Graduation season is upon us and for many this is a bittersweet season. Some know exactly what is next, while others are unsure and lament the cocoon that was Highschool or College. I remember at my high school graduation receiving a plethora of graduation cards from family and friends. Of course, the best cards included personal encouraging wishes but maybe more importantly cash and gift cards.
There was one card that I really had some high expectations from; It was the card from my parents. In my excitement, I quickly opened the card and on the front of it was a ship sailing on the sea with a compass pointing north. “YES!” I said. They got me a trip! I was thinking a cruise, maybe tickets to Hawaii or Mexico, or some other tropical location. To my surprise, I open the card and there was nothing in it; “Well that’s odd. It’s probably still in the envelope,” I thought. I remember going back to the envelope to look, yet there was nothing there either. No gift card, no cash, no tickets to a cruise, no airline tickets, nothing but the Hallmark Card. On the inside of the card, it simply said, “Congratulations on a great achievement.” I’m not going to lie it was a little bit of a letdown.
On the back of the front flap were two simple sentences and one bible verse that actually changed my life. I didn’t know it at the time, but this is what my parents wrote, “Son you were created by God on purpose, and for a purpose. Find that purpose and it will be the greatest thing you accomplish in life… Love, Mom and Dad.” The verse was Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
In the moment, I played it cool and said, “Aww…Thanks mom and dad…” and moved onto the other cards trying to mask my disappointment. But later that night, I couldn’t get away from this thought, what is my purpose in life? What is God’s plan for my life? What is the prosperous hope and future he has for me? What I did not realize at the time is although those two simple sentences sounded great, finding my purpose in life was one of the hardest things I would go onto achieve.
Sadly, most people don’t. I came across an article in the NY times recently, that said, only around 25% of Americans have a clear sense of purpose and meaning in life. I was reading some Christian publications, and they said in the Church its only about 15% of people who know what their purpose is. That means, 75-85% of people, regardless of a faith background, just go through life without a real sense of purpose, meaning or direction. It saddens me to think, so many individuals just live life aimlessly.
Yet the Bible tells that God uniquely and specifically designed us. God hardwired us with unique talents, giftings and abilities. The bible says, “you are fearfully and wonderfully made.” (Ps. 139:14) In other words, nobody else can live your life, but you. This is the real culprit to the reason why so many people don’t find their purpose. It is because they are pursuing a purpose that is not theirs, it’s a counterfeit purpose. It wasn’t what God created them to do. The cliché is true, “God loves you and has a unique plan for your life.” It’s actually a purpose that was intended for you before you were born.
Jeremiah 1:4-5, says, “the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, (some of us need to hear that today. Before God even formed you, He knew you.) Before you were born, I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”
Jeremiah was not only known by God, but he was pre-destined for an assignment before he was born. He was chosen to be a prophet of God. He was to be the mouthpiece of God to his people; it’s a wonderful purpose and enormous responsibility.
Jeremiah continues in verse 6 and says, “‘Alas, Sovereign Lord,’ I said, ‘I do not know how to speak; I am too young.’” What is Jeremiah doing? He is coming up with questions and excuses. “Are you sure God? I don’t know about this. I don’t think I have what it takes?” Jeremiah does what so many of us have done, in fact, 75-85% of us have done, we have talked ourselves out of our calling because of doubt, fears, insecurities, questions and other excuses.
God replies to Jeremiah and says in verse 7-8, “But the Lord said to me, ‘Do not say, ‘I am too young.’ (In other words, you need to stop disqualifying yourself. What you need to realize is that God has tailor made you for this purpose in the first place.) you must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you’ declares the Lord.”
Here is the point, God is telling Jeremiah that the plans and purposes for He has for his life were already laid out before he was even born. This means God didn’t create you and then give you purpose, He started with a purpose in mind and then He created you. I’m reminded of the great evangelist Billy Sunday. Billy was born during the Civil War. His father was a Union soldier who died when Billy was only a month old. At 15, Billy worked several jobs before getting recruited to play professional baseball by pitcher and club owner, Albert Spalding, founder of Spalding Sporting Goods. Billy played for the Chicago Stockings from 1883 to 1891 and became one of the most popular athletes in the nation.
It seemed like he had arrived in life. He figured out what he was created to do, be a professional baseball player. Billy had Fame, money and popularity. Yet in 1887, while walking the streets of Chicago with his teammates, Billy heard an old gospel hymn sung at a street corner meeting of the Pacific Garden Mission. He soon began attending services and cultivated a relationship with the Lord.
In 1889, Billy preached his first sermon as an evangelist. He went on to become one of the greatest evangelists of that era, maybe of all time. Soon Billy starts broadcasting the message of Jesus on the radio so enthusiastically that the FCC was formed in response! During the next 46 years until his death, over 100 million people heard Billy share the gospel through the airwaves. Presidents Theodore Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson even met with him.
Although Billy started playing baseball, God’s purpose for his life was far greater.
Perhaps one of the best-known stories in the bible is the story of David versus Goliath. A shepherd boy named David, shows up with some lunch for his brothers who are soldiers in the army. While there he hears this Giant Philistine solider named Goliath, come and challenge the army of God to a duel. For 40 days not one brave person steps up to challenge Goliath. David, trusts God, and boldly steps up in that moment. Somehow, he convinces the leaders of Israel (Saul) that he is the one to fight this giant. They agree, yet tell him in order to fight, he’s going to need some armor. They bring out the king’s armor (A shield, a sword, breastplate, etc) for David to try on. He does, yet it doesn’t fit! In fact, it was more of a hinderance than it was an advantage.
Realizing this is not going to work, David says, “I’m sorry, I can’t use this. I will use what I know. I will use my slingshot.” In other words, Daivd says, “I know what my gifting is.” It's my slingshot and It’s unique to me. David was destined to be more than just a shepherd boy—he was uniquely designed and gifted to be a warrior-king.
What is your purpose? What is your slingshot? What were you ultimately created to do? If you don’t know, ask God! Ask the one who knew you and created you and had purpose for your life before you were even born.
This is the biggest mistake we make when trying to find purpose. We go about it all the wrong ways. Many of us look to others, I’ll just look at what makes other people happy and copy that. Some look at the world, I’ll just try everything life has to offer and eventually it will reveal itself. Still others, look within. I’ll just do what I think is right and feels right in the moment. Ultimately, all of these approaches don’t work. How do we know? Because 75% of people keep coming up empty. The truth is, only the creator can tell you what you were created for. The truth is, only the creator can tell you what you were created for. The Bible says, “Everything got started in him and finds its purpose in him” (Colossians 1:16) You want to know your purpose and find meaning in life, it starts by partnering with God, who created you, then walking out that purpose in relationship with Him.
It’s never too late and never to early to begin the journey of walking with God in the purpose you were created for. Always remember, “Find your purpose and it will be the greatest thing you accomplish in life…”
Love, Mom and Dad!
There was one card that I really had some high expectations from; It was the card from my parents. In my excitement, I quickly opened the card and on the front of it was a ship sailing on the sea with a compass pointing north. “YES!” I said. They got me a trip! I was thinking a cruise, maybe tickets to Hawaii or Mexico, or some other tropical location. To my surprise, I open the card and there was nothing in it; “Well that’s odd. It’s probably still in the envelope,” I thought. I remember going back to the envelope to look, yet there was nothing there either. No gift card, no cash, no tickets to a cruise, no airline tickets, nothing but the Hallmark Card. On the inside of the card, it simply said, “Congratulations on a great achievement.” I’m not going to lie it was a little bit of a letdown.
On the back of the front flap were two simple sentences and one bible verse that actually changed my life. I didn’t know it at the time, but this is what my parents wrote, “Son you were created by God on purpose, and for a purpose. Find that purpose and it will be the greatest thing you accomplish in life… Love, Mom and Dad.” The verse was Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
In the moment, I played it cool and said, “Aww…Thanks mom and dad…” and moved onto the other cards trying to mask my disappointment. But later that night, I couldn’t get away from this thought, what is my purpose in life? What is God’s plan for my life? What is the prosperous hope and future he has for me? What I did not realize at the time is although those two simple sentences sounded great, finding my purpose in life was one of the hardest things I would go onto achieve.
Sadly, most people don’t. I came across an article in the NY times recently, that said, only around 25% of Americans have a clear sense of purpose and meaning in life. I was reading some Christian publications, and they said in the Church its only about 15% of people who know what their purpose is. That means, 75-85% of people, regardless of a faith background, just go through life without a real sense of purpose, meaning or direction. It saddens me to think, so many individuals just live life aimlessly.
Yet the Bible tells that God uniquely and specifically designed us. God hardwired us with unique talents, giftings and abilities. The bible says, “you are fearfully and wonderfully made.” (Ps. 139:14) In other words, nobody else can live your life, but you. This is the real culprit to the reason why so many people don’t find their purpose. It is because they are pursuing a purpose that is not theirs, it’s a counterfeit purpose. It wasn’t what God created them to do. The cliché is true, “God loves you and has a unique plan for your life.” It’s actually a purpose that was intended for you before you were born.
Jeremiah 1:4-5, says, “the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, (some of us need to hear that today. Before God even formed you, He knew you.) Before you were born, I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”
Jeremiah was not only known by God, but he was pre-destined for an assignment before he was born. He was chosen to be a prophet of God. He was to be the mouthpiece of God to his people; it’s a wonderful purpose and enormous responsibility.
Jeremiah continues in verse 6 and says, “‘Alas, Sovereign Lord,’ I said, ‘I do not know how to speak; I am too young.’” What is Jeremiah doing? He is coming up with questions and excuses. “Are you sure God? I don’t know about this. I don’t think I have what it takes?” Jeremiah does what so many of us have done, in fact, 75-85% of us have done, we have talked ourselves out of our calling because of doubt, fears, insecurities, questions and other excuses.
God replies to Jeremiah and says in verse 7-8, “But the Lord said to me, ‘Do not say, ‘I am too young.’ (In other words, you need to stop disqualifying yourself. What you need to realize is that God has tailor made you for this purpose in the first place.) you must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you’ declares the Lord.”
Here is the point, God is telling Jeremiah that the plans and purposes for He has for his life were already laid out before he was even born. This means God didn’t create you and then give you purpose, He started with a purpose in mind and then He created you. I’m reminded of the great evangelist Billy Sunday. Billy was born during the Civil War. His father was a Union soldier who died when Billy was only a month old. At 15, Billy worked several jobs before getting recruited to play professional baseball by pitcher and club owner, Albert Spalding, founder of Spalding Sporting Goods. Billy played for the Chicago Stockings from 1883 to 1891 and became one of the most popular athletes in the nation.
It seemed like he had arrived in life. He figured out what he was created to do, be a professional baseball player. Billy had Fame, money and popularity. Yet in 1887, while walking the streets of Chicago with his teammates, Billy heard an old gospel hymn sung at a street corner meeting of the Pacific Garden Mission. He soon began attending services and cultivated a relationship with the Lord.
In 1889, Billy preached his first sermon as an evangelist. He went on to become one of the greatest evangelists of that era, maybe of all time. Soon Billy starts broadcasting the message of Jesus on the radio so enthusiastically that the FCC was formed in response! During the next 46 years until his death, over 100 million people heard Billy share the gospel through the airwaves. Presidents Theodore Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson even met with him.
Although Billy started playing baseball, God’s purpose for his life was far greater.
Perhaps one of the best-known stories in the bible is the story of David versus Goliath. A shepherd boy named David, shows up with some lunch for his brothers who are soldiers in the army. While there he hears this Giant Philistine solider named Goliath, come and challenge the army of God to a duel. For 40 days not one brave person steps up to challenge Goliath. David, trusts God, and boldly steps up in that moment. Somehow, he convinces the leaders of Israel (Saul) that he is the one to fight this giant. They agree, yet tell him in order to fight, he’s going to need some armor. They bring out the king’s armor (A shield, a sword, breastplate, etc) for David to try on. He does, yet it doesn’t fit! In fact, it was more of a hinderance than it was an advantage.
Realizing this is not going to work, David says, “I’m sorry, I can’t use this. I will use what I know. I will use my slingshot.” In other words, Daivd says, “I know what my gifting is.” It's my slingshot and It’s unique to me. David was destined to be more than just a shepherd boy—he was uniquely designed and gifted to be a warrior-king.
What is your purpose? What is your slingshot? What were you ultimately created to do? If you don’t know, ask God! Ask the one who knew you and created you and had purpose for your life before you were even born.
This is the biggest mistake we make when trying to find purpose. We go about it all the wrong ways. Many of us look to others, I’ll just look at what makes other people happy and copy that. Some look at the world, I’ll just try everything life has to offer and eventually it will reveal itself. Still others, look within. I’ll just do what I think is right and feels right in the moment. Ultimately, all of these approaches don’t work. How do we know? Because 75% of people keep coming up empty. The truth is, only the creator can tell you what you were created for. The truth is, only the creator can tell you what you were created for. The Bible says, “Everything got started in him and finds its purpose in him” (Colossians 1:16) You want to know your purpose and find meaning in life, it starts by partnering with God, who created you, then walking out that purpose in relationship with Him.
It’s never too late and never to early to begin the journey of walking with God in the purpose you were created for. Always remember, “Find your purpose and it will be the greatest thing you accomplish in life…”
Love, Mom and Dad!
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2 Comments
Great insights Pastor Adrian. Both from you and your parents :-)
What a true “gift” and valuable treasure your parents bestowed on you! What a blessing!