Finding Our True Purpose

Recently I was reflecting on Job's poignant observation recorded in Job 14:1, "Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble", and I was immediately reminded of the question posed in James 4:14b, "What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes." It occurred to me then that when each of us got out of bed this morning, there were many others who did not make it through the night. There are many who will not make it through to the end of today, whether through a timely or an untimely demise, but at some time or another, we all have an irrevocable appointment that we all must keep (Ecc. 3:2; Heb. 9:27a).

That God allowed us to be living in the moment, when He could have easily done otherwise, provokes the question, why? I firmly believe that we are all placed here for a reason. To the Israelites in Babylonian captivity the LORD said, "For I know the plans I have for you" (Jeremiah 29:11a), and I believe this knowing on God's part is applicable to each and every believer's life. It is no stroke of good fortune that God allowed our eyes to open this morning. He did it for a purpose, and lest we forget who we are and what that purpose is, Peter reminds us, "But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light" (1 Peter 2:9). Jesus told His disciples, and every disciple since, "You are the salt of the world ... you are the light of the world ... Go therefore and make disciples of all nations." (Matt. 5:13a, 14a; 28:19a).

It seems clear to me that our purpose for our allotted time here on earth has been clearly defined. Among other things we are to 1) be witnesses for Christ - wherever we are - in words and deeds, 2) show the way of Christ to a darkness filled world, 3) make disciples, and 4) to demonstrate the richness of a life that is fully surrendered to the Lordship of Christ. In the "few days" that you have been given, how effectively are you fulfilling your purpose? May God teach us to number our days, that we may get a heart of wisdom (Psalm 90:10), and so commit ourselves to the fulfilling our true purpose.

Cast Your “Cares Bags” – Part II

The question was simply enough: "How does on cast his or her 'cares bags' upon God?" Tired of carrying them around and experiencing the frustrations and burnout that come with such an effort, often times after the umpteenth time of resolving to leave them at the Cross, some of us can relate to it. We want to put them down, but we have carried them for so long they are as comfortable as our favourite pair of old shoes. Breaking up seems hard to do.

Generally speaking, at the root of our cares are our anxieties about any number of things. Our jobs, our families, our future, the economy, to name a few. A significant amount of our time is spent thinking, planning, being restless and sleep deprived, trying to make the pieces fit. Where God seems to be silent, we feel compelled to fill in the blanks. After all, as the saying goes, God helps those who help themselves. Yet the apostle Paul, writing to the Philippians, had a word for our counterparts of his time: "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God" (Phil. 4:6, ESV). In everything, Paul? Yes, in everything! In other words, as we find ourselves in situations that provoke our anxieties, instead of yielding to the temptation to think about them, talk to God about them. This can be very difficult to do after years of carrying our own cares bags, but to the Corinthians Paul encouraged, "For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete" (2 Cor. 10:4-6). The stress and negativity in our minds can be taken captive to obey Christ and that happens when we refuse to give in to them and turn them over to Him.

When we are able to do this, the benefits are profound. As we cast our cares upon Him through prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, "the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard [our] hearts and [our] minds in Christ Jesus" (Phil 4:7). That is an awesome trade! We give Him our anxieties and He gives us His peace which stands guard over our hearts and minds. Where there is peace, there cannot be turmoil. It is impossible to sincerely praise God and worry at the same time. We can rest comfortably in the fact that God has everything under control. He knows what we have need of even before we ourselves know we have the need. As Matthew Henry observes, "It is the duty and interest of Christians to live without care. There is a care of diligence which is our duty, and consists in a wise forecast and due concern; but there is a care of [self-doubt] and distrust which is our sin and folly, and which only perplexes and distracts the mind."

To avoid this distraction, which can cause us to take up our "cares bags" again, we need to be mindful of the things we think about and meditate on. Again from Paul, "Finally, brothers [and sisters], whatever is true, whatever is [honourable], whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things" (Phil. 4:8). This is God's "formula" for peace of mind and heart. It is one that He expects you to use. Remember, it is His responsibility to take care of those who are His.

Cast the "Cares Bags"

When I first saw him, I instinctively thought he was homeless. There he was, slowly pushing up the street a cart laden with what seemed like his life's possessions. I had seen him a number of times before and it was always the same thing. Everywhere he went, his cart and its contents went with him.

I thought of him as I reflected on Peter's short but rather profound sentence to the elders to whom he was writing, "Casting all your care upon Him [God]; for He careth for you" (1 Peter 5:7, KJV). In my reflections, it occurred to me that like the man who carried his stuff with him wherever he went, so too some of us carry our cares and concerns everywhere we go. We are never without them. It is as if we unload our "cares bags" by the side of our beds and once we awake in the mornings, we get dressed and then dutifully - though often times without thinking - we take up our bag, ready to carry it around with us for the rest of the day. We do that every day. Inside the bag are our cares, our worries, our frustrations, and our anxieties, to name a few. All the while professing belief in an awesome God who can do the impossible. Obviously, for some of us our God is not that awesome. We have made Him too small and as a result, we think our "cares bags" are too heavy for Him to carry. We justify carrying them ourselves.

Yet Peter reminds us, as he did the elders, that we can cast ALL our cares upon Him. I like how the Amplified Bible puts it, "Casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully." In other words, we can be rid of our bags by throwing them upon Him "once and for all!" We do not have to be burdened down with our loads of care. The accuser of the brethren is quite content for us to do just that, but that only leads to spiritual, emotional, mental and psychological rust and burn out. In the words of the old hymn writer, "Oh what peace we often forfeit / Oh, what needless pain we bear / All because we do not carry / Everything to God in prayer." When we find ourselves worrying and unable to rest in the peace God promises, it is a sure sign that we are still carrying our own “cares bags.”

There is tremendous freedom in casting ALL our cares upon the One we serve, knowing that not only does He cares about us but also that He does so affectionately and watchfully. What are you doing with your "cares bag"? God stands by ready to relieve you of it. You just need to cast it upon Him. Too heavy, you say? Trust me, He is big and powerful enough to manage it. Yours and everybody else's.

Running On Empty

The request from the five virgins seemed reasonable. "Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out" (Matthew 25:8, KJV). The response from the other five was not very encouraging. According to Matthew, Jesus was relating the following parable: "Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps" (vv. 1-7). It was at this critical time that the "foolish" ones discovered they did not have enough oil. Not allowing for the possibility that the groom might be delayed, they had not taken enough.

The response of the "wise" virgins and subsequent events are insightful. Matthew continues, "But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not" (vv. 9-12). Jesus summed up the parable, "Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh" (v. 13). What was Jesus teaching?

There are too many theological truths in the parable to uncover in our limited space. However, in Scripture the lamp symbolizes the Word - the laws, principles, and precepts - of God which lights our paths through life (Psalm 119:105; Proverbs 6:20-23). It serves to guide the child of God in the righteous ways of life. For as long as it takes to wait for the bridegroom, the return of Christ, the wise among us will ensure that we remain always in the Word, allowing ourselves to be guided by it. The foolish will become apathetic, going back and forth into the ways of the society around them, not having the conviction to stand for truth. It is this latter group that we must avoid. Despite the distractions and the challenges, we must read, study, and apply the Word of God. In world of darkness, we cannot see clearly without it.

It is important to note that there are only too categories of people - the wise and the foolish. The difference between them was the amount of Word that was in them and how that Word influenced their life. On which side do you find yourself? Are you among the wise?