Do you realize that God could have chosen any time in history for you to live? Not only that, but He could have placed you in any geographical location to live your days. However, in His perfect sovereignty, He chose to put you right here, right now, for a specific reason.
In Acts 17:26 (ESV), Paul tells the deep-thinking Greeks that God “made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place.”
How incredible to think that God has chosen when and where every person (who has ever walked this earth) will live. It also raises an important question, “Why?” Why did God determine to put us here right now? Sometimes it might be easy to answer that question. At other times you might not come close to understanding why God chose His timing. Perhaps that’s why some of the most commonly asked questions of all time are, “What is God’s plan for my life?” and “Why am I here?”
The Westminster Shorter Catechism presents an easy and helpful answer:
Q. What is the chief end of man?
A. Man’s chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy him forever.
(Rev. 4:11, 1 Cor. 6:20, 10:31, Romans 11:36, Isaiah 60:21, Psalm 86:9, Rev. 21:3,4, Phil 4:4, Luke 2:10, Isaiah 12:2, Psalm 16:5-11, 144:15)
This is a great and straightforward biblical answer. It will also take us a lifetime to learn precisely how to do this.
What the Word Says
The Word of God helps us all understand how we can glorify God (and what that even means). One example is in Ephesians 2:10 (ESV). Paul tells the church in Ephesus that we are “…created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” That surely means God (in His infinite wisdom) determined to put you and me right here, right now. We are to glorify and enjoy Him. Equally important, He also prepared good works for us to do. What is more, He is helping us do that through the work of the Holy Spirit. (Philippians 2:13)
Next time you’re wondering what God’s plan (or will) is in a particular situation, you should first of all pray. Next, ask yourself a few questions:
- “Does God’s Word have anything to say about this?” (Google is an excellent tool for this, but be careful to understand the context.)
- “What do trusted, godly people around me have to say about this?” (Google is certainly helpful, but it doesn’t love you as your friends do.)
- “Does this glorify God, me, or something else?”
- “Will this lead to me enjoying God and His blessings, or will this cause me to hide from Him in shame?”
- “Could this possibly be one of the “good works” God prepared beforehand for me to walk in?”
These are just a few things the Bible says about God’s plan for your life. Given that, I pray this helps you navigate your “here and now” with confidence; His spirit is always working to accomplish His will.
Here and now,
Posted in A Word from the Pastor