“When the demons came out of the man, they went into the pigs. Then the herd rushed down the steep bank. They ran into the lake and drowned.” Luke 8:33
God has been speaking clearly to me about one thing: PURPOSE.
Sunday was my nephew’s birthday. He went to be with Jesus four years ago. I went to the church where he met Jesus for his birthday. I wanted to thank the people who had helped me introduce Cody to Jesus. That is where God first started talking.
The message was on PURPOSE. The guest speaker talked about how living for the approval of people keeps you from the purposes of God. A great example of this is Moses in Hebrews 11:24-26. He chose God, not people.
He also explained the POWER of PURPOSE. When we know our purpose it diminishes the distractions in life. We’re so focused on our purpose, we don’t notice anything else. Purpose pushes through the pain. I loved his example of a mother giving birth. She endures the pain of childbirth because she knows its purpose. She will have a child. Lastly, purpose empowers us to please God. When you have identified what God’s purpose for you is, it makes it easy to please God.
I’ve known for a long time what my general PURPOSE is. I’m to love God and love others. Mark 12:30-31. No matter where I’m at or what I’m doing. I’m to be loving God and loving people. I know that.
But I’m beginning to believe God has a CALLING for me as well.
The second time God brought the conversation of purpose up was yesterday, in my group. Our topic for the evening was PURPOSE. From our group discussion, our leader derived purpose and calling are the same thing. As our conversation evolved we debated purpose versus calling. Calling won.
When God gives you a PURPOSE it’s a CALLING.
Then this morning God had me pondering Luke 8:33:
“When the demons came out of the man, they went into the pigs, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and was drowned.”
Specifically, I was focused on the pig farmer. The owner of the pigs had just lost a significant amount of income. What about him? What is his PURPOSE in the story? I haven’t discovered the answer to it yet. But I will not take the pig farmer for granted anymore. I will always recognize him in the story. I’ve never done that before. I’ve only thought of Jesus and the demon possessed man. I never cared about the pigs. Now I do.
And just an hour ago I had a conversation with my husband I want to always remember. For the first time in our married lives, we were both studying the same scripture at the same time, but didn’t know it. It’s an incredible feeling to realize God is that closely connected to you in your marriage.
He had a different perspective though. He was realizing how the man, once cured of the demons wanted to follow Jesus. He wanted to go where Jesus went and be a disciple. Jesus said no. He couldn’t come. His PURPOSE was to go into the city and tell the people what He had done for him.
My husband brought up the point how devastating that must have been for him. After the miraculous healing, wouldn’t he naturally be the best disciple? Yet Jesus says no. It was probably heartbreaking for this man not to be able to go with Jesus.
Here’s the beautiful nuance though. Just a few verses later, when Jesus returns a crowd welcomed him. “for they were all expecting him.” Luke 8:40 Why were they expecting him? Because the demon possessed man had done his PURPOSE. He had told the townspeople what Jesus had done. His CALLING was to go tell the people about Jesus. He did it. He fulfilled his calling. I can’t imagine there is anything more fulfilling than that.
It hasn’t been three full days and I’ve had PURPOSE brought up to me in all of these different ways. I think God is talking to me. I need to take time to listen to what He is saying.
I’m just curious what will be next!
Purpose
