LONGING FOR GOD’S PURPOSE, DAY FIVE

WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR?
Tuesday, April 1st

The purpose of God isn’t to save us from Hell. The purpose of God is to make us like Christ.
~ Aiden Wilson Tozer

I love this quote! A.W. Tozer’s words reveal two different (and life-changing) perspectives about God’s purpose for our daily living.

When we believe God’s purpose for us is to solely avoid hell, our days may be lived in the fear of letting God down, with our focus on rule keeping, and the tendency for judging, comparing, and defending ourselves against one another. With our attention on the hereafter, we may even squander or discount our earthly days while we await this reward of hell-avoidance.

When we believe our purpose is to live and be more like Christ, our days may be lived in the peaceful trust that we are beloved, with our focus on soul keeping, and a desire for loving, forgiving, and accepting others while maintaining personal integrity and humility. With our attention on our earthly days, we can live in the joy (and yes, challenge) of the heavenly kingdom that is already present with us.

I have often said, “I don’t know how all of this works.” But today, I find these questions worth considering:

Could our earthly life be this figurative hell?
Could God, Infinite Love, one day welcome, transform, and bless everyone with eternal peace and joy?
Could Jesus’ plea, “Father, forgive them,” for those who had mocked, tortured, and watched him die, also include the rest of us?
Could the present-day gifts of our faith be the hope we cling to as we face the trials of this life, the peace we find as we trust in our benevolent God, the inspiration and courage we receive from the Spirit’s movement within us?
Could our salvation be the grateful joy we find in God’s loving presence that abides with us through the hellish moments we encounter today?

I don’t know how all of this works. But as I reflect on A.W. Tozer’s words, I do believe that God’s essential purpose for us is to live like Christ. And when we do, we are already being saved from hell–by helping to make this earthly life more like the eternal kingdom, here and now.

(Photo by Karen)