What's it All About?
Is it God wanting worship? God wanting love? God wanting someone
to serve him out of free will?
I have been thinking about, "What should be our focus?"
To understand our mission, we must first understand the purpose that
God intended. Why did God make man? Is it because he wanted
someone to talk to, or someone to worship him? It is my
contention that this is not the reason. He made man not so he
would be loved, but that God would have someone to love. The
scripture says, "God is love."
If you look at the workings of God, he does not do things to be
noticed or praised. He does things for the benefit of those he
loves.
Look at the creation story. He created the heavens, light, dry
ground, water, beast and birds and plants and trees. When he
finished we find the purpose in the last thing he did. He created
all that is for Adam. The scriptures says in essence, God made it
all and then gave it all to Adam.
He even went so far as to "Plant a Garden" and placed man in the
midst of it. Did he create Adam to take care of his creation, or
did he create his creation for Adam?
Look at the things that he did in the Old Testament. He spared
Noah, one single man. He chose Abraham, one single man. Notice
his preparation in the life of Moses. Why? Is it because he wanted
to "prove" them? Or is the ultimate purpose God desires someone to
love. God is not a needy God, he is a God that is love.
You don't have children so someone loves you. There is an innate
desire inside of us that wants to love.
From his creation to his incarnation, there is one mission. That
mission is for man to be able to benefit fully of the Love of God.
You love Jesus, but he first loved you. He loves you when you
forget about him. He loves you, when you don't do what he wants
you to do. He loves you when you don't "worship" him. Our love,
service and worship flows to him as a response to what he does for
us. I do not believe that he loves us so that we love him back.
God is not self-serving, selfish and does not worship himself. God
is not manipulating our lives to get us to see how lucky we are.
God is Love. For love to be complete, it must be a closed circuit.
For in truth, you can't really love anyone unless they love you
back. When the circuit is closed, and love flows in both direction
this is love in full bloom.
So again I ask the question, "What is it all about?"
Notice the Life of Christ. Look at his ministry. We see in his
ministry, his road to the cross and his victory over the grave had a
purpose. I see this purpose in the following scripture.
"But go your way, tell his disciples and Peter that he goeth before
you into Galilee: there shall ye see him, as he said unto you."
Mark 16:7
It was not just general directions from an Angel to a group, but we
see personal care in this to the blaspheming, cursing, denying
Peter. God has a unique ability to see past what is you, to
produce what will be in you. He looked at Peter, "And the Lord
said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he
may sift you as wheat: But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith
fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren."
Luke 22:31-32
We see in this the purpose of God revealed. I love you Peter, and
when you get it together, I want you to help others.
When God works on us to bring us into balance and fellowship, the
purpose that is outstanding is that we make a connection for someone
else for God to love. He loves in general everyone, however he
desires to love individuals specifically. To accomplish this,
people must be aware and respond to this love for the power and
value of this love to be enjoyed.
When God looks at the world, six billion, this does not dim the
megawatt power of the Love of God. The God that created one man
has the love for all men.
The purpose is about God loving people. When we fulfill our
purpose, we reflect God's love to people.
The great tragedy of this is when people consume God's love,
blessings and purpose for themselves. I have heard people say,
"It's all about Him." I think this is an insufficient revelation.
It is about Him, but if you asked God, "What's it all about?" He
would point you toward the people around you and say, "It's all
about them."
God so loved the world. I have looked in the eyes of the
suspicious, wounded, angry, worried, depressed, despondent and
fearful. They are God's purpose. Without a doubt he loves his
people, those that already serve him, however these only represent a
portion of God's purpose.
The condemnation of the Jews is that God wanted to make them to be a
nation of Priests. What does this mean? Look at the duty of a
priest. They represent God to the People, and represent the People
to God. He chose Abraham to bless the nations.
Look at Joseph. Joseph is a picture of our purpose. Joseph
overcame personal hardship to be the salvation of the World. God
was not just proving a man for the purpose of proving. The proving
purpose was providing an answer to the problems of his world.
So why has God preserved you and protected you to this point? Is it
so we can sing songs of salvation? Is it about seeing you blessed
in health, wealth and glowing in your good favor? Or is there a
purpose that goes beyond you?
God is not some egomaniac demanding people to bow and scrape at his
feet, he is Father that loves his Children. He is a God of Love
that wants to save every lost child, confused teenager and reach
each and every fearful and prideful adult.
The angels show us what is important to God. It is not the sheep
in the fold, but it is the Lost sheep that is found. It is not in a
house full of saints praising him, but when one lost, lonely,
broken, weeping man bows his knees in repentance and is bathed in a
glow of Light that is the Love of God.
That is what it is all about.
I have a renewed commitment to connect with people, to love people,
to bless people, because that is what will make my Father proud.
Reaching the Lost,
For Him, In Him, By Him, Through Him,
Scott Phillips
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