Purpose

There was once a small boy and a dog. The boy was an only child and the puppy had been with him since he was a toddler. The dog was his constant companion and playmate and he loved him very much. But when the little boy was six years old, he experienced the first tragedy of his young life. While playing in the yard together, the boy threw a ball that went into the road. His faithful dog chased after it and was struck by a car and killed.

The boy mourned for his dog as only a child who had lost his best friend could. His parents were heartbroken as they watched their son suffer. After a few weeks, they thought that maybe a new puppy would help heal their little boy's heart. The boy loved the new dog immediately.

But he was just a little boy and he was filled with fear that something bad would happen to his new dog. No matter how much his parents encouraged him, he refused to take the dog outside to play. He kept his puppy in his room, and made his closet into a nice little doghouse. He put the dog into that closet to keep him safe when he was at school or out with his parents. He couldn't take any chances- he was going to make sure that this dog stayed safe!

After a few weeks, the dog seemed listless and refused to eat. The little boy became very worried. The dog got sicker each day. The boy's parents took the puppy to the vet, but no illness was found. Then one day, the little boy came home from school only to find that his little puppy had died.

What caused the dog to die? The answer is quite simple. A dog to meant to run and jump and bark and play. He is meant to chase rabbits and squirrels and little boys and girls. He is meant to fiercely guard the child that he loves and help him or her chase down the ice cream truck. That's what God created him to do. That is his purpose. Without living his purpose, he could never be happy. He had no reason to live.

That brings us to our second truth. Purpose. If a thing does not have purpose, it is junk. We throw it away. Because it has no purpose. Without purpose, a thing is worthless.

So, if things must have purpose, and animals must have purpose, how much more so for people? We are God's ultimate creation, made in His image. A living soul. So, why did He make us? What is our purpose?

God created us to bring glory to Himself and to have fellowship with Him. That is the purpose of every single person that God created. The Bible tells us in Isaiah 43:7, "Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him." We read in 1 Corinthians 1:9, "God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord."

Giving God the glory is praising Him for everything. Acknowledging Him in every little thing. Having fellowship with Him is closeness, intimacy, and communion. He walks with me and He talks with me. He tells me I am His own.

But how can we live our purpose if we don't even know God? And how can we know Him? One more truth, and our foundation is laid.