Praise the Lord! Let us begin our this week’s Scripture for the Week meditation by asking a very personal question to ourselves: What is the purpose of God for my life? We all have our own desires and dreams and most of the time we all run after those desires and dreams and try to fulfill them.  We often think that this is the purpose of our lives, and we are least bothered about others and God. Try to understand the question very clearly because the question does not ask, ‘what is my purpose of my life, rather ‘What is God’s purpose of my life while I am on earth?’ The question we asked is not about our desires or dreams or purpose but it is regarding God’s purpose in our lives. The sad part is that many of us are not even aware that there is a God-given purpose in our life that we need to carry out. Yes, God has a purpose for your life and God has a purpose for my life, and God has a purpose for everyone’s life. Some of us might be wondering how would I know that God has a purpose for my life. The answer is simple and easy to understand.  Below mentioned are a few thoughts for our reference:

• • We ourselves have not come to this world but God has created us (Genesis 1:26-27; 2:7)
  • We ourselves did not become a living being but God breathed into our nostrils the breath of life, and we became living beings (Genesis 2:7)
  • We ourselves do not set the duration of our life on earth but God does. He has numbered our days on earth – God has scheduled our time of arrival (birth) to this world, and a time for our departure (death) from this world (Genesis 6:3; Job 14:5; Psalm 37:18; 90:12; 139:16)
  • We did not set eternity in our hearts but God did it for us – God has set eternity in our heart and we are entrusted to live our life according to that (Ecclesiastes 3:11)
  • We did not do anything to save our life from eternal condemnation but God did it for us through His Son Jesus Christ (Romans 5:8; Galatians 1:3-4)

All these show that between the beginning of our life on earth and the end of our life on earth, we have a God-given purpose to fulfill. There are many saints in the Old Testament and New Testament times who fulfilled their God-given purpose in and through their lives. For reference, below mentioned are some of the saints from the Old Testament who fulfilled God’s purpose in and through their lives:

• • The purpose of God in Adam and Eve’s life in addition to glorifying God was to be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground and take care of God’s creation (Genesis 1:28; 2:15)
  • The purpose of God in Noah’s life in addition to glorifying God was to be righteous, blameless, and faithful before God in a wicked/sinful world, so that the human race would continue through Noah’s family after the flood (Genesis 6:9)
  • The purpose of God in Abraham’s life in addition to glorifying God was to bless all the families of the earth and be the father of the faithful ones (Genesis 12:3; Romans 4:16; Galatians 3:7)
  • The purpose of God in Joseph’s life in addition to glorifying God was to store up grain and other food supplies to provide for the people in times of famine in order to keep them alive (Genesis 41:49, 54-57); and become a channel for Jacob and his other sons to settle down in Egypt where they would grow/expand to be a nation (Genesis 15:13-14; Exodus 1:7)
  • The purpose of God in David’s life in addition to glorifying God was being a man after God’s own heart and the Scripture says that he fulfilled the purpose of God in his life (1 Samuel 13:14; Acts 13:22, 36)

The Passage we chose for this week’s Scripture for the Week meditation (Psalm 100:1-5 [mentioned above]) gives us glimpses into God’s faithfulness towards the human race, especially towards the ones who love Him and obey His commands. Also, this passage describes the relationship between God and mankind (who we are and how we are made), and invite us all (in fact, the invitation is for all the earth [v.1]) to praise and worship the Lord in response to God’s faithfulness to us. When we study the Scripture starting with the book of Genesis and ending with Revelation, we can understand that our existence became a reality on earth because God created us. The Scripture says that the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed the breath of life into his nostrils, and the man became a living being (Genesis 1:26-27; 2:7; Psalm 100:3; Isaiah 64:8). God created us in His own image and likeness. Since, we are the created beings, God promised us His presence, protection, and provision in every situation of our life on earth. The fact is that it is impossible for us to live on this world without God’s helping hand guiding and directing us in the right path. God’s help is very much needed for humanity’s survival in this world. In Isaiah 41:10, God promised that Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand (Isaiah 41:10)

The Scripture states that None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one (Romans 3:10-12 [also, refer: Psalms 14:2-3; 53:2-3]). In the light of this, whether the people fear God or not, whether the people accept Him or not, whether the people obey Him or not, God cares for everyone and everything He created. Jesus said, … you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous (Matthew 5:43-45 [also, refer John 3:16; Romans 5:8]).

Let us look more deeply into God’s promises of His presence, protection, and provision in our lives.

The Promise of God’s Presence with us: God is Omnipresent, which means God is present everywhere and there is no place in this universe where God’s presence is not felt. That means, God’s presence is spread out everywhere in this universe, no matter where we are. God’s presence was in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:8ff), God’s presence went along with the children of Israel during their wilderness journey (Exodus 13:21-22; 33:14-16), God’s presence was on the Mount of Transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-9; Mark 9:2-9; Luke 9:28-36), and so on. King David acknowledged that he felt God’s presence everywhere in this universe. He stated that

Where can I go from your Spirit?  Where can I flee from your presence?  If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.  If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast (Psalm 139:7-10)

God is faithful, and if God’s presence is with us wherever we go and whatever we do, then we are safe in our spiritual journey.  

The Promise of God’s Protection upon our Lives: God is our protector and He promises to watch over us. God is Omnipotent, and, thus, He is all-powerful. The Scripture describes God as ‘the Lord God Almighty’ (Psalm 89:8; Isaiah 6:3; Revelation 4:8; 21:22). When we are overwhelmed with fear and uncertainty, stay in the presence of God pleading for help and He will protect us from the troubles and deliver us from what we fear (Psalm 91:1-16). God promised His presence, protection, and provision to everyone who seeks after His will for their life (Isaiah 41:10). There are several Psalms that stand as a testimony of God’s protection to those who fear Him. King David (one of the Psalmists) stated that For God is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold (Psalm 18:2; 144:2). Apostle Paul stated that If God is for us, who can be against us (Romans 8:31b). This means, if God’s presence goes with us wherever we go, He will protect us, for sure, from the dangers that we come across in our life. Psalm 121:3-8 states that

He will not let your foot slip – He who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord watches over you—the Lord is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord will keep you from all harm—he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore (Psalm 121:3-8)

God delivered Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego from the hands of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and the blazing furnace (Daniel 3:1-30); Daniel from the hands of Nebuchadnezzar and from the mouths of the lions (Daniel 2:1-49; 6:19-23). God sent His angel and delivered Apostle Peter from the prison (Acts 12:5:17). Ultimately, God is our fortress as it is mentioned in Scripture that The name of the LORD is a fortified tower; the righteous run to it and are safe (Proverbs 18:10).

The Promise of God’s Provision for us: God is our Father since we are created by Him in His own image and likeness. He is our heavenly Father. There are several Scripture passages that indicate God as our Father. For instance, prophet Isaiah wrote: You, Lord, are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand (Isaiah 64:8 [also, refer Matthew 23:9; Luke 12:32; 1 John 3:1a]). As a father, God is the one who cares for us and provides for our need. In fact, God promised to provide for our needs (spiritual as well as our material needs) according to His riches, as Apostle Paul wrote to the believers in Philippi that … God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19). Before Adam and Eve were created, God prepared a place for them to stay, and food to eat, which was sufficient for their living (Genesis 1:29-30; 2:15). As the children of God (Galatians 3:26; 1 John 3:1-2), our help comes from nowhere else but from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth, as the Psalmist stated: I lift up my eyes to the mountains—where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth (Psalm 121:1-2). God is the one who takes care of us from our birth to death. God said … I have upheld [you] since your birth, and have carried since you were born. Even to your old age and gray hairs I am He, I am He who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you (Isaiah 46:3b-4). Jesus said:

… do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they (Matthew 6:25-26)

On the one hand, God promised that He will provide for our needs; but on other hand, God did not promise to give us everything that we ask for or we wanted. He promised to give us whatever we needed for our living (survival) according to His will. Jesus said to His followers that I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it (John 14:13-14). In addition, Jesus said: Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete (John 16:24). However, in certain situations, we do not have what we want or get what we ask for through prayer. Let us read what James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ (James 1:1) wrote the early church: You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures (James 4:2-3). In the light of what we discussed in here, we can understand that whatever we ask in prayer according to the will of God will be granted to us for sure, but not to spend for wrong motives or pleasures. Ultimately, God the Father will provide for our needs, as Apostle Paul stated: God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19). Amen!

In response to God’s faithfulness to us, our responsibility towards God is to praise and worship Him. The God-given purposes for us all are spread out into three different directions and requires three-fold actions:

1. 1. 1. The first and foremost is towards God, which includes loving Him, obeying His commands, and glorifying Him through unceasing praise and worship (Psalm 100:1-2);
      2. The second is towards our fellow-human beings, which includes taking care of our family, friends, and other human beings (Exodus 20:12; Psalm 133:1; Proverbs 17:17; Galatians 6:2; Ephesians 4:2-3; 1 John 4:20); and
      3. The third is towards other creatures and nature, which includes taking care of the rest of the creation (Genesis 1:28; 2:15; Isaiah 24:4-6; Ezekiel 34:2-3; John 1:3; Romans 8:19-23)

As we have seen, loving God, obeying His commands, and glorifying Him through praise and worship is the primary purpose of our lives; and all other purposes fall behind it.

The passage we chose for our meditation (Psalm 100:1-5) mainly focuses on four aspects of our spiritual journey, and they are: (i) invitation to worship God (Psalm 100:1-2), (ii) Who is this God that we should worship Him (Psalm 100:3a), (iii) Our relationship with God (Psalm 100:3b), and (iv) why should we praise and worship God (Psalm 100: 4-5).

1. 1. 1. Invitation to worship God (Psalm 100:1-2, 4 [Revelation 4:6-11; 7:11-12; 11:16])
         • Invitation is for everyone – that is, all the earth (v.1a)
         • Shout for joy to the Lord (v.1b)
         • Worship the Lord with gladness (v.2a)
         • Come before the Lord with joyful songs (v.2b)
         • Enter His gates with thanksgiving (v.4a)
         • Enter His courts with praise (v.4b)
         • Give thanks to Him for His faithfulness to us (v.4c)
         • Praise His holy name for He is the Lord God Almighty (v.4d)
      2. Who is this God that we should worship Him (Psalm 100:3a)
         • Know that the Lord is God Almighty (v.3a1)
         • Know that the Lord is the one who made/created us (Psalm 100:3a2 [also refer: Genesis 1:26-27; 2:7])
         • Know that God made us and we are called to walk in His ways obediently and worship Him (Psalm 100:3a3; Deuteronomy 10:12-13) 
      3. Our relationship with God (Psalm 100:3b)
         • It is the Lord God who made us (v.3b1)
         • As the created beings, we belong to the Lord God (v.3b2)
         • We are His people (v.3b3)
         • We are the sheep of His pasture (v.3b4)
      4. Why should we praise and worship God (Psalm 100: 5)
         • The Lord is good (v.5a)
         • The Lord God’s love endures forever (v.5b)
         • The Lord’s faithfulness continues through all generations (v.5c)

The purpose of our life is to love God, obey Him, praise Him, be thankful to Him, and do whatever He commands us to do because He is the one who created us in his own image and likeness; and, thus, we are His people and He is our God – our heavenly Father! He will uphold and support us and will strengthen us in all of life’s situations (Psalm 55:22; 89:21). For He is an ever-present help in times of trouble (Psalm 46:1). Therefore, let us Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise. Let us give thanks to Him and praise his name. For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations (Psalm 100:4-5). May the Lord God Almighty bless us all! Amen!