June 21st, 2023

Hey Church Family!

One of the most discouraging feelings in the world is from a lack of purpose.  If you've been at a place in your life where you asked the question, "Why am I here?" you know how discouraging it can feel.  Unnerving.  Disheartening.  Even if it was brief, or just for a short season—to have no sense of purpose or reason for existing can leave one feeling hopeless.

Purpose is what drives us.  It's what answers the questions, "Why do I get out of bed?  Why do I go to work?  Why do I stay in this family, or marriage, or job?"  More than that, purpose defines for us a sense of right or wrong, good or bad, success or failure.  When you misunderstand your purpose, you are in no position to be able to tell whether or not you are doing well or poorly at accomplishing your purpose.  In other words, what makes a good dad, mom, husband, wife, child, student, boss, employee?  It's hard to tell if you don't know your purpose.

In Genesis, we are told that God formed Adam out of the dust, breathed into him the breath of life, and then placed him in the Garden of Eden to "work it and to keep it." (Genesis 2:17)  This is our reason for being here.  This is God's original purpose for you and me.  We were placed where we are on purpose.  And that purpose was to work it and to keep it.  But what does that mean?

It means we serve.  We serve those around us.  We serve with all that we have.  We give our very best.  We use words that provide life.  We tend to our spiritual journey with Christ.  When we work it, we serve our homes and our families.

It also means we keep watch over our homes and families.  In other words, we place some clear boundaries around what we let in and what we keep out.  We guard our hearts to ensure envy, jealousy, guilt, and anger do not take root in our hearts or in our homes.  We're thoughtful of the way we use technology and the entertainments we allow.  When we keep it, we protect our homes and our families.

My challenge for you this week is simple, yet difficult.  When it comes to your home, do you work it and keep it?  Do you serve your home?  Do you protect your home?  Do you guard your heart?  This is the way of Christ.  This is why we were placed here on earth.  We were given the homes we have to work it and to keep it.  If we can do this, there is incredible hope for our homes.

Together in Christ,
​Pastor Michael