Serving a Purpose +

Jesus' refusal was curt: "Beat it, Satan!" He backed his rebuke with a third quotation from Deuteronomy:
"Worship the Lord your God, and only him. Serve him with absolute single-heartedness."
Matthew 4:10 The Message Bible

At work today, we had a little chat about bucket lists - who wants to do what, when and how the lists may have changed and evolved over the years. Many had to do with seeing far away places of the world. Just as many were very specifically individual pursuits even though the ones who commented were married. I thought it was also interesting to note that the vast majority of the lists had nothing to do with accomplishing more or "higher" goals in the chosen career field.

Over the last week, there have been quite a few remarks about people's perceptions of what they were born to do. It's been enlightening, to say the least.

Have you ever given that serious thought? Have you ever listened for God's answer as to how or for what He created you? He has a plan, you know. He had a plan for your life when He created you in your mother's womb.

For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.
Ephesians 2:10 NLT

There's an old song - "Born to Serve the Lord" that just has wonderful words to it. They are:

From the dust of the earth

My God created man

His breath made man a living soul.

And God so loved the world

He gave His only Son

And that is why I love Him so.

For I was made in His likeness

Created in His Image

But I was born to serve the Lord.

And I won't deny Him

I'll always walk beside Him

for I was born to serve the Lord.

The second verse gives the reasons we have eyes, ears, legs, etc. We truly were born to serve the Lord - and to serve Him with singleness of purpose. Is your life serving a purpose? More specifically, is your life serving His purpose?

Prayer:

Father,

          Let our hands serve our neighbor, our eyes read Your Word, and our feet walk only in Your footsteps as You go before us making the crooked way straight. You created us to serve, Father. Help us to walk single-heartedly in our purpose. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen