What Is the Purpose of My Life?預覽

Everything that’s been made has been made for a reason. Washing machines were made to wash clothes, toasters to give bread a bit of a tan, clocks to measure the passage of time. The Bible tells us that everything was made by God. The universe we live in—the trees, the seas and us—are all made for a reason. The meaning of life has had philosophers and fictional supercomputers scratching their heads for centuries, but the Bible actually suggests an answer.

Why would someone plant and tend a vineyard? To get grapes. The Bible often talks about humans as if we’re planted and tended by God, like a vineyard. But we bear a different kind of fruit; we bear the image of God.

Paul tells us to put on the image of the Creator and then clarifies what he means in practice. Put on kindness, he says, humility, meekness, patience, forgiveness. Above all, put on love. Paul views love as the ultimate expression of what God is like, and he believes the greatest aim of the Christian life is to be an embodiment of that love.

Jesus agrees. When He compares us to branches in John 15, He tells us to bear much fruit. He highlights the necessity of experiencing His love first, and then He commands us to go and demonstrate that love to one another. Jesus reminds us that this fruit that we were created to bear is only possible for those who are receiving life from Him. Without Jesus, we’re withering branches, firewood rather than fruitful branches.

If we want to bear the fruit that Jesus is talking about, we need Him to send the Holy Spirit to us. It’s through the Holy Spirit that we can enjoy Jesus’ love without having to time travel to first-century Judea. It’s through the Spirit that we can receive the life-giving accomplishments of Jesus’ death and resurrection. The Holy Spirit can apply Jesus’ death to us to cleanse us from sin and also apply Jesus’ life to us, so we can begin to love as He loves.

Over the next couple of days, we’ll continue reflecting on the purpose we were created for. But today, remember that you were created to be an embodiment of God’s love. Have you experienced God’s love transforming your life? If not, what’s preventing you? How can you demonstrate God’s love to someone who needs it today?