Misused or thriving?

One of our boys (I won’t say who) had a variety of teething rings while going through that messy stage. His favorite chewing item was the TV remote. No matter how colorful or perfectly designed his other teething toys were, there was something wonderful about chomping his little gums down on those buttons. How can you convince a 7 month old that remote controls are not made for chewing? Hiding it would frustrate him because he knew it had to be somewhere, and he wanted it! It’s cute when little ones try to create their own rules, like our other son insisting on wearing his pajamas to church with a clip-on tie, or both of them sure that their backwards shoes were just fine the way they were. Eventually, we learn to treat things based on their specific purposes if we want to be productive adults.  

You probably agree that you were created by God. But have you ever thought about the fact that you weren’t only made BY Him, you were made FOR Him? He is the specific purpose for which you were made, and if that isn’t fulfilled, just like a misused object, you will be damaged and ultimately destroyed.  

You’ve probably heard that common line: “I respect your choice to believe in God, but it’s just not for me.” That’s as ridiculous as our TV remote saying that it respects our choice to believe it can change channels, but it’s chosen another path in life. That’s how absurd we must look to God when we try to assert our ways over His. Serving our Creator is not an option, it’s our purpose. We’re given the freedom to choose what jobs to pursue or homes to live in, our educations and friends to enjoy, but even in all of that freedom, we were created for Him, for His use and for His will to be done through us.   

1 Corinthians 6:19 says that we are not our own, that we were bought at a price. If we had that awareness, we’d live in constant humility and gratitude, attentively listening to hear and obey Him every day. We’d stop waking up in the mornings consumed with what we plan and what we want and all that we have to do, tossing scraps of prayers or Bible readings to God as if He were a pet. How often have we been that disrespectful of God and then complained when things didn’t turn out the way we wanted?

We are made to live out His commandments as fully and as wholeheartedly as possible, every day, no matter what our job or station in life. When we fulfill our purpose, we become so close to Him. We fall in love with Him and everything in our lives works, grows and thrives. 

For everything was created by Him, in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him. (Colossians 1:16 HCSB)