Your purpose here?

Almost everybody is intrigued about their origins. Some people go to great lengths to discover their roots. Now-a-days, people opt for DNA testing in an attempt to unearth their ancestry. Human beings have always had this desire, almost like a need to figure out where they belong, their true nature and purpose. Once you understand your purpose, it gives you a sense of direction and a true sense of reasoning and motive behind every action and thought. Things seem less complicated and we can finally begin to focus all our energies, time, attention, emotions and being into the fulfillment of that core purpose. It just streamlines everything that was rather complicated before this epiphany.

So why were we created? Sure God has a plan for each and every one of us. And yes, we are to prove our fidelity to God by passing the test of this world. Yes of course, God blessed us and asked us to populate the earth. Sure, we have jobs and work towards feeding our families and the fulfillment of our responsibilities. But through all of these, why were humans even created in the first place? Now, I am aware of a lot of the negative arguments/answers that will come up, but Ill’ refrain from debunking those myths because that’s just another topic for another day. I’ll just tell you the main reason for creation. You were created mainly to give glory to God. Hmm, you expected something more gratifying? more selfish?….something on the lines of conquering the earth etc. Well, let me elaborate in the paragraphs ahead and we’ll get to conquering as well. Bear with me until then, please 🙂 In Isaiah 43:7, God says, “They are my own people, and I created them to bring me glory.“

We know all things were created for and through Him, for His glory. Rest of creation gives glory to God by merely existing. Psalm 19:1 says, ‘The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.’ They all do their job. The flowers and sea creatures in their colourful splendor, the birds with their melodious songs, the animals in all their variety, the fruits of the earth in all their fulfillment, nature in all its magnificence. They all give glory to God by just….existing! Man however, was created as a superior being, in the image and likeness of God Himself. He was blessed with intelligence and reasoning. He was given freewill. Rest of creation recognizes the supremacy of God and bows down to Him. The winds, the seas, the waves – they all obey Him. But man, well…we are special. We get a choice. You see, even if all of mankind rejects God, God still does not need us for His glory. As Jesus pointed out in Luke 19:40, “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.” You know, when I say ‘rest of creation’, I include everything in the cosmos and the spirit realm too. If your’e familiar with angelology, you probably know there are nine choirs of angels. The Seraphims are at the top of that hierarchy. Let me tell you an important aspect of these type of angels. They are constantly burning with a desire to praise and love God. They continuously burn with praises at the throne of God singing, ‘Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of Hosts; all the earth is full of His glory.’ {Isaiah 6:3}

We are constantly in search of that secret ingredient that has the power to keep us happy. We look for joy/peace in everything. We seek joy, love, peace. We focus on achieving these through education, jobs, designations, investments, property, diet, lifestyle, health, appearance, status, travel, leisure, pleasure, vices, substances, power, activities, dominance and so on. It’s great to reach optimum potential, but somehow satisfaction does not come! There is no contentment after all of these too. Once we have exhausted all options, we finally realize there is no point having all these if they aren’t accompanied by peace. Then we start looking for peace frantically. We become desperate to find this peace and wonder after all our feats, why don’t we have peace? You see peace comes from Jesus. He gives us peace that satiates our constant hunger, the kind of peace that quenches our thirst forever.{John 4:14} The peace of God transcends all worldly knowledge. Jesus gives us a kind of peace that the world cannot give.{John 14:27} If we haven’t found our true purpose, hence destiny, some of us end up looking for this sense of belonging in things/habits/people/acts that may be extremely disastrous. We run so far away from the giver of peace into the facade of the chaotic webs of temptation, vice, pride etc. Well, most people learn best from experience, misery and mistakes. You can count me in that category 😉 But it does not have to be so. Peace comes from the constant endeavouring of the fulfillment of our true purpose. Nothing else can really quite make you feel complete! And, let me reiterate just to leave no doubts and space for error. Your true purpose here on this earth is to magnify and bring glory to God.

So how should we give glory to God? Should we sit locked up in a prayer room with burning incense and candles all day long singing hymns of praise and worship? Well, if you were a seraph, that would be your calling. But, since my articles are read mostly by human beings, you must give glory to God by reflecting Him in all that you do. Sure, there is profound joy and peace in praise/worship and there are so many benefits to it, which I intend covering in another post. But, you don’t just worship God for a few minutes/ hours and then go back to being what you used to be. When I say, reflect God, I mean live in a way that makes Him look like what He truly is. You were created in His image and likeness. So live like God. Reflect God‘s love, mercy, peace, joy, holiness, grace in all that you do – through your thoughts, words and deeds. Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. –Matthew 5:16. Live your life in a way that is befitting to the image of God. This is only possible with God’s grace. You are a temple of His Spirit. Do not do anything to grieve the Holy Spirit within you. Let your life, your actions, your speech be a constant reminder of God’s infinite mercy, His unconditional love and His divine grace. Whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. – 1 Corinthians 10:31. Just like 1Peter 2:9 says, ‘But you are God’s chosen treasure—priests who are kings, a spiritual nation set apart as God’s devoted ones. He called you out of darkness to experience his marvelous light, and now he claims you as His very own. He did this so that you would broadcast his glorious wonders throughout the world.’

Another way to bring the Creator glory is by simply loving Him. I’m not telling you to love Him like you loved Santa Claus when you were a child. the sole reason we loved Santa was because he got us goodies. God yearns to have a true intimate relationship with you. He has gone to great depths and became the ultimate sacrifice to ensure this. He takes delight in you {Psalm 149:4}. He is eager to be in spiritual communion with you. You know, if you really love someone, you stretch yourself above and beyond your max capacity …just to spend time with them. Your ears are all perky and attentive. All your senses are tuned in. It’s not just time, but attention too. Of course over time as a relationship develops, people tend to take each other for granted. But, they’re still in sync with each other. Peace comes from communion with God, from the knowledge that He is in control and has your back, from knowing that you’ll never be alone if God is your friend. Peace comes from developing and nurturing an intimate relationship with God. It’s all a cycle, you see. If you love God, you will spend time in worship, that will strengthen your bond and give you the grace to live a holy life, which reflects the true nature of God.

In Isaiah 48:11, God says, ” I will not yield my glory to another.” Have you noticed the very first of the ten commandments is – I am the Lord, your God. You shall have no other god before me. Again during Jesus’s public ministry on earth, when he was asked which was the greatest commandment, He declared, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.“{Refer to Matthew 22:37}. And then, He follows it by just one more commandment. He goes on to state the second most important commandment . Love your neighbor as yourself. – Matthew 22:39. What Jesus was essentially saying is this – first love God; once you’re ripe and full with the love of God, share that love and reflect the true nature of God to all. Love your neighbour comes second because unless you love God, who is so easy to love back, how will you love your back-stabbing, deceiving, criticizing, annoying, abusive, torturous, conniving, arrogant neighbour? It is only possible through divine grace.

Let me attempt to summarize it for you. Your life’s purpose is to glorify God. These are the ways you can bring Him glory:

1. Praise and Worship
2. Reflecting the image and likeness of the true nature of God
3. Living in communion with the Holy Spirit
4. Living a holy life

You will find peace only when you live for the glory of God. Life is squandered in restless ruin and wrong turns unless you live for His glory. Therefore, seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you. – Matthew 6:33

All glory be to Jesus!

–Ruelha