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Emily Wickham

If You Feel You Don’t Have a Purpose…

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“For now we really live, if you stand firm in the Lord.”

1 Thessalonians 3:8, NASB

sunset, If You Feel You Don’t Have a Purpose…

Something dawned on me last week.

I feel most alive when I invest in someone’s spiritual well-being.

And I think that’s what God intends.

“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:10, Nasb

The Lord God created our bodies and intricately wove distinct personalities, talents, intelligence, and more within us. As if that’s not awesome enough, God made us new when we placed our faith in Christ for salvation. Twice born–once physically and once spiritually–we’re living, breathing, walking works of God. With a purpose.

Almighty God blueprinted a purpose for each of us long, long ago. Isn’t that incredible? You know, sometimes we sense a lack of purpose, which causes us to drift uncertainly. That’s not God’s plan. I believe He developed a purpose for us before we even existed. And it doesn’t revolve around the physical–our purpose lives and breathes and moves in the spiritual realm. While those two realms often intersect, investing in someone’s spiritual well-being should be our ultimate motivation.

This doesn’t mean we preach at people or care only for spiritual conversations. It doesn’t mean we overlook physical needs to concentrate on spiritual needs. On the flip side, neither does it mean meeting physical needs without spiritual goals. Many humanitarian organizations exist and do an outstanding job helping people. But as Christians, we possess something more: God’s love. The Spirit of God. Hope. We’re “created in Christ Jesus for good works,” acts that demonstrate spiritual truths so others can know Christ too.

Living our God-designed purpose pairs who we are with doing what He’s prepared for us.

Though this looks different for each individual, the final outcome stays the same: building God’s Kingdom. This is God’s heart. He reaches peoplethrough His people--whether we serve soup, lead Bible studies, rear children, or work in an office. God made us in Christ to communicate eternal truth in various capacities. He longs for others to know what He’s graciously revealed to us:

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.” John 3:16

When we invest in someone’s spiritual well-being, we fulfill what God created us to do … and we feel really, truly alive.

Let’s live BIG. Let’s live with PURPOSE. Let’s be flooded with an outpouring of the Holy Spirit as we serve our mighty God!

“‘He who believes in Me,’ as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being shall flow rivers of living water.’” John 7:38 

I’d love to learn from you. How is God using you to reach people for Christ?

Much love to each of you in Christ,

Emily

Devoted to Prayer: “In Quiet Places”

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“Devote yourselves to prayer … .”
Colossians 4:2, NASB 
“Draw near to God and He will draw near to you … .”
James 4:8 

Amazingly God doesn’t need to hear from us—He wants to. Privileged to pour out our hearts, we receive His comfort in exchange. Prayer intimately and powerfully connects us to God in every place.

 

“Devoted to Prayer: In Quiet Places”

 

“… that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge …”
Ephesians 3:17-19, NASB
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Remember My love …

After reading Ephesians 3, the truth of God’s love embraced me like a gentle hug. Though numerous responsibilities relentlessly demanded attention, the blessed peace of kneeling in God’s holy presence comforted me.  Softly He whispered, and I grabbed hold of His words with purpose—writing them down so I would indeed remember.

Drink it …

Seemingly unusual, I pondered what it meant to “drink” God’s love. Kindly the Lord flooded my mind with understanding: just as liquid seeps into our bodies and satisfies our thirst, Christ alone can satisfy our spiritual thirst. He yearns for His love to infiltrate every aspect of our being … to meet our need for love before we search for satisfaction elsewhere. He longs to be our first Love. Drink.

Breathe it …

And what did He mean by this? As daily breaths infuse our lungs with air, God wants His love to fill us … motivate us … move us. To give us life! Ardently He desires us to be rooted and grounded in His love, that we might be stable and secure. Whatever storms come our way, His love will steady us. Breathe.

Speak it …

Finally God calls us to speak of His overwhelming love. Immeasurable and divine, brought to life in the Person of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, love defines God. God IS love. Overarching all of His other characteristics, the enormity and reality of His love–for the sinner, the saint, the broken, and the restored—God’s love shows no partiality. It’s available for all. But some reject it. Speak.

Christ’s love exists experientially, not just as truth to know intellectually. Swiftly life rushes by, yet the Lord persistently beckons us to slow down and listen to His tender, penetrating whisper:

Remember My love. Drink it. Breathe it. Speak it.

Lord, You are the One who whispers love into my heart. Thank You for communicating so tenderly. Please lead me to quiet places where I can be still in Your presence, listening intently for Your voice. Enable me to hear and respond to Your affirmations of love along with Your Spirit’s guidance. In Your cherished name I pray, Amen.

Emily

Image courtesy of klygror www.flickr.com/photos/little-angle/2389750639/

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Devoted to Prayer: “In Desperate Places”

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“Devote yourselves to prayer … .”
Colossians 4:2, NASB 
“Draw near to God and He will draw near to you … .”
James 4:8 

Amazingly God doesn’t need to hear from us—He wants to. Privileged to pour out our hearts, we receive His comfort in exchange. Prayer intimately and powerfully connects us to God in every place.

“Devoted to Prayer: In Desperate Places”

 

“In the days of His flesh, He offered up both prayers and supplications with loud crying and tears to the One able to save Him from death, and He was heard because of His piety.” Hebrews 5:7, NASB

medium_8050708619-300x198“Please, Mommy—please!” Anyone with children has heard that before, and the response often requires tremendous wisdom. Sometimes I hold the line, and other times I’m a softie mom. I find it especially hard to resist tears, which still occasionally well up in my daughter’s eyes. Either I relent or firmly maintain what’s already been determined. When I do say no, it’s usually because I believe that answer will benefit my child more in the long run.

Jesus earnestly prayed daily throughout His earthly life. Sometimes His prayers were more urgent, thus offered with wrenching cries and tears. Because of His piety (godly fear), His Father heeded His petitions. Jesus knew who held the power to grant His desires, so He withheld nothing in His honest, heartfelt requests. He always asked.

God hears our requests too. He sees the tears. He listens to our anguish. But that doesn’t mean He always gives what we want. Why?

God says no because His plans are better than our desires.

Agonizingly Jesus pleaded with His Father before He went to the cross: “Father, if Thou art willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Thine be done” (Luke 22:42). As He prayed, He didn’t sweat normal tears—His consisted of blood. Yet His Father still said no … so hard to imagine. The perfect Man, the sinless Son labored in prayer to the “One able to save Him from death.” And He said no. Why?

Because our Father’s plan superseded saving His Son—it involved saving us. 

God’s plan existed before time began. Lovingly He determined to buy us back through His beloved Son’s blood. Generously He gave His only Son. Selfishly sinners rejected and killed Christ. But God won! Today Jesus sits at God’s right hand—offering up prayers and supplications—for us (see Rom. 8:34).

Maybe you’ve been crying to the Lord for something or someone in particular. Like Jesus, keep asking. Like Jesus, stay surrendered to God’s will. Then like Jesus, God’s perfect plan will be enacted through your life.

If God says no, we can rest in knowing His plan surpasses that desire.

Gracious Father, please empower me to always ask … and always accept Your answer. In Jesus’ holy name, Amen.

Drawing Near,

Emily

Image courtesy of Mick Amato www.flickr.com/photos/mickamato/8050708619/

via www.photopin.com