Isaiah 56:7  Even them I will bring to My holy mountain, And make them joyful in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices Will be accepted on My altar; For My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations.”

I recently heard a sad story of a young woman leaving her family because she wanted to ‘find herself.’ Though I haven’t talked to her about this I wonder if it might be accurate to say that she was looking for her purpose - to answer the question, ‘what am I for?’ That is not only a valid question, but a vital one.

The people of Israel had a purpose but they had forgotten it. They were to be a light to the Gentiles - to show them what relationship with God looked like. To share their temple and their God with them. But, sadly, it didn’t take long and they had abandoned that purpose. When they did, they adopted their own purpose - to live for themselves. After all that God had done for them, all that He had given them, they began to feel as if it were theirs by birthright. But after exile, they were soon left wondering ‘what are we for?’

When Jesus was about to ascend into heaven, He had one last talk with His disciples and He gave them a purpose:

“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, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

This is the church’s purpose. It is the purpose of every person who claims the name of Christ - every Christian. We are to be involved in this purpose. To describe a particular church as an ‘evangelical’ church is just to say it’s a church - Jesus didn’t really envision any other kind. We must take up His purpose for ourselves so we are not left wandering and wondering, ‘what am I for?’

 

Blessings,

Pastor Russ