Does my life have a purpose?

Our worldview shapes how we see things. It's the lens through which we interpret the world around us and even our own place in it.

Our culture, the environment around us in the west is not neutral. It has a worldview that is shaping our understanding of the world around us and our place in it.

For many of us, me included, life can feel like a wave pulling us in a particular direction. It has it's own momentum and drag. Everybody is being tugged along and the majority view of life can feel at odds with what we read in the teachings of Jesus or see in His life and ministry.

So what do we do with that? If we've encountered Jesus and made the decision to make the rest of our lives about trying to follow Him then how do we live as people who shape and transform the culture around us rather than be shaped and moulded by it?

It comes back to a really important question - what am I here for? Or, another way to put it is "Does my life have a purpose?" and if so, what is that purpose?

Jesus' worldview, the perspective of the God Story contained in the ancient scriptures has something to say about that. My conviction from the incredible story contained in the bible, beginning with creation through to recreation is that God created us with divine purpose. We aren't here by accident and we aren't insignificant. God created us to bear His image and to establish His good order on the earth.

This was the commission given to the first humanity in the creation story and it is the commission that Jesus re-instated for His disciples. "Go"

Go and what? "Go, and make disciples of all peoples, baptising them into the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit and teaching them to do all that I commanded you". What did Jesus teach - the good news of the Kingdom of God. God's Way on the earth - His good order - His Way of blessing.

Super church planter Paul, writes to a church he's set up in Ephesus and says this "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus, to do good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them." (Eph 2:10) When we encounter Christ, we discover who we were always created to be.

We are uniquely crafted for a purpose. What purpose?

Well, God has a mission - a Great Big Purpose - which is to bless the nations. To bless the nations is another way of saying - He desires all peoples everywhere to know Him and live in His way of blessing. When we discover God's incredible purpose for the earth, it changes how we live. We discover that following Jesus is not really about us at all - it's not just to feel good or to be blessed or to fix our lives - it's for all peoples everywhere. Our purpose is to play our unique part in inviting people, regardless of their background or story, to encounter a God who loves them. As we introduce people to Jesus, His teachings and His Way, we're inviting people to discover their purpose - to be a light to the nations.

Jesus said that we are the light of the world, a city on a hill that cannot be hidden. He also said we are the salt of the earth. We are supposed to shape the culture around us. We supposed to introduce people to the Way of Jesus and bring light into dark places. We're supposed to flavour the environment around us with the uncomfortable, yet life giving order of God.

Jesus, says that if we lose our saltiness - it is no longer worth anything. That feels like a strong statement and it is. When we lose a connection to our purpose we stop having an impact on the world around us and get caught up in the strong tide of 'going with the flow.' We stop being salty. Why don't you pray this week and ask the Holy Spirit to remind you of God' Great Big Purpose and of your part in it.