Given A New Purpose For Life

Have you ever caught yourself thinking, “What’s the purpose of my life?” I remember thinking this type of thing. Throughout my life, I routinely thought, “There has to be a reason I am here on this earth.” I always believed there had to be some purpose for my life or what was the use in being here. Then I met Jesus. I had found my reason, my purpose.

Somehow, when you meet Jesus, I mean really meet him and spend time with Him, you find out why you were created. You find out who you were meant to be by finding out who He is. I know that may sound a bit odd to you but its true. The more I know Him personally, the more I realize I was designed for something bigger then my own petty whims. I was planned out before time began and placed here at this very moment in time for a reason. Maybe that reason has something to do with this blog or maybe not. Maybe it was just a heart felt desire of the living God to have me to love. I don’t know, but what I do know is that my reason for living has changed. Jesus gave me the purpose I had always needed. He filled the hole, the void in my soul.

I wonder if the disciples Andrew and Simon Peter felt the same way when they began to follow Christ. Did they feel full as they gazed at the Savior? Did it fill them with wonder and joy to be in the presence of the living God?

I don’t know the answer to those questions but I do know that their purpose for living changed the day they dropped their nets and followed Jesus. No longer did they spend their days fishing with their father. Instead they became fisher's of men.

Matthew 4:18-20 - And Jesus, walking by the Sea of Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. Then He said to them, "Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men." They immediately left their nets and followed Him.

That fateful day Andrew and Simon Peter's destiny changed. They would no longer grow old, following in the footsteps of their father. It was not to be that they would continue the family business. Instead, they would take a different path, a path created for them by God above. They would take the path that most would think to be less desirable and less profitable. But was it? Think about it. Was it really the less profitable path?

Considering eternity, it was indeed the most profitable path a man could take. For them the road here on earth would be filled with trials, tribulation, suffering and yes, even death. But that road would pave a path to an eternity with much greater reward and benefit then any of us could ever imagine.

Destiny called for a new purpose for these two men. They answer with a resounding YES LORD, YES!

Andrew and Simon Peter were given individual gifts which they used to contribute to the body of Christ. Just like them we are all given individual gifts to help the body of Christ function properly. But there is only one ultimate purpose for life that we all share the same. Right now, let's explore the main reason we are here on this earth. In order to do that, we must begin at the beginning.

Genesis 1: 27 – So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.

Whose image did God created man in?

Genesis 2:15 – Then the Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to tend and keep it.

Where did God put Adam and Eve?

Genesis 3:8 – And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden.

Where was God walking that day?

I am blown away when I think about God’s intention here. First He creates man in His own image. He breathes life into him with His own breath. Then He places him in a lush beautiful garden, giving him only one rule. “Don’t eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil.” That’s it, only one rule. As long as man didn’t eat of that tree he would walk in the garden in the presence of God. He would enjoy time with God, being with Him, walking in the garden with Him.

It was no surprise to God what man would do. He knew that man would eat the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Before God created man He knew the end. He knew that He would have to overcome sin and send His son to the cross. He created man anyway. Why? Why, knowing that man would screw it all up would He decide to create man anyway?

He did it to love and be loved. To walk together with a creation that would choose to love Him and spend time with Him.

That’s it! The purpose we were created for! We were created to be with God, to love Him and be loved by Him. It’s the reason we were put here on earth. So eventually we could spend an eternity in His presence.

For now though, while we wait for eternity, we are given a commission by Jesus. Before He left this earth He told us this:

Matthew 28:19 - Go therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

Jesus told his disciples to go and make disciples of all nations. He did not tell them to make Christians, He told them to make disciples. There are many today that believe becoming a Christian is a one time event. You walk the isle, pray the sinners prayer, get dunked in water, then back to your old life. They believe they are safe, in the book, heading toward heaven. But has anything really changed in their life.

Jesus didn't say "go make disciples unless it's to much for you to handle or you don't really want to give your old life up, then it's ok, you don't have to do it." Just as the disciples were told to go out and make more disciples, we told to do the same. This was not a suggestion but a command.

We can not merely accept the gospel of Jesus Christ and keep it to ourselves. Jesus said in Mark 8:38 “For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.”

If we are ashamed of Jesus, we need to ask ourselves, do we really love him at all. Is the gift of His life not the most valuable thing that could ever be offered for our wretched sinful souls? If we are ashamed we must fall to our knees asking that He change our heart so we can love Him the way we were intended to do so.


So the commission continues today. We are told to go. While we are here on this earth, our job is to share the good news with those that have not heard. Go tell all nations. That includes here and abroad. Some will go to other lands while some will stay where they are.

Where ever God sends you, the message is the same. Shout it from the roof tops, Jesus of Nazareth is alive! He rose from the grave on the third day! He paid for our sins with His own blood! Go tell someone.

Ending today in prayer seems like the way it should be. Pray. Pray for your purpose to be solidified in your heart. Pray for courage to share the gift you have been given with someone else.