8-28-2025

Good Morning All,

      Isaiah 43:6-7; “I will say to the north, “Give them up,” and to the south, “Do not keep them.”  Bring my sons from far away and my daughters from the ends of the earth.  Bring everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.”

    It seems that each generation tries to make a movie that answers the age-old question about the meaning of life.  Why are we here?  One generation watched “2001: A Space Odyssey” another one watched “The Matrix”.  Both are very deep and require serious watching.  There are other movies and other stories.  Many offer some interesting views, some offer whimsical views and some offer some deep and insightful views.  But the question remains, why are we here?

    Most people, at one time or another, ask themselves this question.  Some go on long and intense personal quests to determine this.  There was a time, about when I was in college, that deep introspective meditation was supposed to “give you the answer.”  I remember a time in a psychology class when the instructor tried it.  One of the wags in class said the only thing he found was lint in his belly button.  The professor was flustered, the class erupted and we never tried it again. 

    The problem with this is that many presume that the question, “why am I here?” is a question that is subjective and dependent upon the individual.  While this may please our sinful nature, it goes against God’s plan and design.  God’s plan for you is to bring him glory in all that we do.  This includes your worship/devotional life, your family life, your interaction with your fellow believers and with those unbelievers.  Every action we take should bring God glory.  This is where we find our purpose in life, this is where we find the contentment in our life, it is where we find our peace.

    It is when we seek our own glory, our own selfish desires, our own foolishness that we scatter before God.  This is what causes us to run from God.  Yet God in his mercy calls brings us back from the four corners of the world to be his family.  It doesn’t matter what you were, what sins you committed, what caused you to run to the furthest corners of the world; God calls you back.  He calls you by name to be his own redeemed child.  That is who you are, a redeemed child of God. 

     The “why” you are here is to bring glory to God by living the life that he has given to you, to walk in the paths and do the good works which he lays out for you.  This is our purpose; to live in God’s presence bringing him glory and giving us contentment.

Dearest Father, you bring us in from the furthest corners of the world and reclaim us as your people and children.  Give us the strength to see your will is our best and only hope.  Keep us close to you so that we may be safe in your arms.  We ask that you especially call those brothers and sisters who are still at the ends of the earth, who are lost and struggling.  Bring them back to your grace.  In Jesus’ precious name we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret