Created for the Purpose of Love 1-27-09

Good morning, Lord Jesus. In simplicity and sincerity, I look to You and call on Your name, then watch and wait in the silence of surrender before You. … "The Lord will fulfill His purpose for me; Your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of Your hands" (Psalm 138:8). Lord, I believe You created the heavens and the earth. I believe You created me and every person with purpose, calling, and destiny You long to fulfill. I believe "it was You who formed my inward parts; You knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made" (Psalm 139:13-14). And I believe You love me and will never forsake me, even when I sin or rebel or resist or fail or fall from the fullness of Your will for my life. You have a way of redeeming all things and even causing those things to work together for good for me and for all those who keep turning to You and trusting You and loving You through it all, as best as we can and all by Your grace, according to Your purpose (Romans 8:28). But Lord, sometimes I just need to ask, "What is Your purpose for me? What is it that You long to fulfill through my life?" As I watch and wait, in the simplicity and sincerity of the silence of surrender before You, it seems I hear You say, "… My son, my child, whom I have created and made, I created you to love Me; I created you to know Me and receive My love for you." But Lord, why did You need me? It seems You have centuries full of people to love and to love You. Why did You need me, if You even need me, or want me to be just one more? "My son, it would not be the same without you. You and each one of My children are vastly, almost infinitely, different from one another. Each one is fearfully, wonderfully, uniquely made. So because of who you are, because of who I created you to be, there are ways that I can express My love to you and express My love through you that I cannot do through any other soul I have ever created. And there are ways that only you can express your love for Me. It wouldn't be the same without you." Yes, Lord. Just filter out any of that that was not You, but let all that was of You settle deep down into my soul. Maybe even as I asked the question, I was thinking about what I would do with my life, or better, what You would do with my life. But Your answer and the priority of Your focus seems to be much more on who I am than what I will do. As someone has said, You see us much more as "human beings" rather than "human doings," though that's not how we tend to see and judge ourselves and the significance of our lives. But these big picture questions that seem to rise up from time to time, seeking Your big picture answers, always seem to come back to this simple truth in one way or the other -- You are love, and You created us for a relationship of love with You and with one another. Everything else is just the working out of the details and fulfillment of that great purpose. "Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God; everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love. God's love was revealed among us in this way: God sent His only Son into the world so that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins. Beloved, since God loved us so much, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God lives in us, and His love is perfected in us" (1 John 4:7-12). Thank You, Lord, for reminding me of Your big picture and Your big purpose for my life. Give me grace to love You and love others today and every day, as no one else can. So as I begin this day, I lift up my eyes and open up my spirit to You, my Creator, my Savior, and my Lord. "I cry to God Most High, to God who fulfills His purpose for me…. God will send forth His steadfast love and His faithfulness" (Psalm 57:2-3). In Jesus' name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Subscribe free by email to Messiah Ministries -- MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord ... Ministering the Healing Love of God" www.messiah-ministries.org 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, KY Order our Ministry Resources or Contribute OnLine at www.shop.messiah-ministries.org