Congratulations on your desire to hear from God today! He will honor that. He's just been speaking to me through the profound words of Jesus in John 8:12-30. Give yourself the chance to listen to what he is saying. Clear your mind and then read it through at least twice with me, slowly, thoughtfully.
The main thing that I hear him saying is that he is Life. He keeps coming back to that! I need him like I need oxygen. He is. He is everything I need him to be. But something else he says jumps out at me today:
...I know where I came from and where I am going. (v. 14)
When I think about my identity--who I am really--it is really defined by these two points: my origin and my destination. My understanding of the starting point of my life and my ultimate goal ahead determines the trajectory of my life in between. Are you with me?
The world around me and the people in my life try to define me. If I don't know where I came from and where I'm going, I will either let others create a false identity for me or I will create one myself. Either way, the trajectory of my life will be knocked off course and I'll go around in circles lost and confused.
Knowing my origin is important. If I think that I'm a mere accident of mindless chance in a cosmos with no ultimate purpose then I will live my life the same way. If I see myself as just a highly functional animal then I will tend to behave like one. Or if I think I'm worthless and unwanted, the product of a broken, dysfunctional home, rejected by a parent, then I'll be stuck in that sense of nothingness. But if I know that I am a special creation of an amazing God who loves me and created me with distinct purpose, that changes everything. When I start from there, I move ahead with a sense of great worth and meaning. Yet it's not enough to know where I came from.
Having clarity about my destination is equally vital to a full life. Why do people do some of the crazy, self-destructive things they do? Because they think they're headed for non-existence in the grave and they're desperately trying to grab whatever they can while they can. Or if I think I'm on the highway to hell, then why try? Or if I just don't think beyond my retirement years, then my life's trajectory is all about my career, financial portfolios and maybe growing my family. But if I know that I'm headed for eternal life in the new heaven and new earth that God will bring about, then I'm going to live with tremendous hope. I'm going to have a sharply focused sense of purpose that I'm even now part of this movement of God and his inbreaking Kingdom. In the confusion of trying to figure out what's next, I'll narrow my options in light of my ultimate goal.
In short, when I know where I come from and where I'm going, everything in between will fall into place. If I make all my significant decisions based on those two simple concepts that bookend my life, then my vision will be clearer, my decisions will be better, and the consistency will keep me moving forward in the right direction. I'll experience Life.
God bless you today! I'd appreciate it if you'd share this post on your Facebook wall (click the Facebook "f" button below). And please share your own thoughts from Jesus' words below (sign in first or choose "Anonymous" from the "Comment As" field.)
Chris, I love the way you have of putting complicated and disturbing aspects of life into such clear and simple focus! This one I needed! Thanks! Yes, our God IS the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end! May I place my trust in Him and His will for me. In Jesus' name, Amen.
ReplyDeleteThat was something I haven't really put much thought into. It's very interesting and has my mind going! :P
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comments! I love you both!
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