That I may know Him...

A friend and I are teaching a class at our church entitled "Who Are You - Identity Revealed."

Someone asked me the other day if this class is similar to the "Purpose Driven Life." I really hadn't thought of it that way. The reason for that is... it has nothing to do with being driven in this life by purpose. :)

As you can probably tell by the title, our class is about God's grace, and our identity in Christ, which are inseparable. Knowing our identity is crucial to what we "do" in this life. I know... I know... it's true. So many of us looooong for purpose. We think we'll be fulfilled if we can find our purpose in this life, and then live out our purpose. And it's true that God has given each of us "purpose." Each 'member' of the body of Christ has a purpose within the body (see Romans 12 and 1 Corinthians 12).

But what if you're going along your day one day, and you don't really feel like you're living out the purpose that you feel that God's given you within the Body? What if this lasts for more than a day? A week? A year? Or more???? Have you ceased to be a member of the Body of Christ? Of course not! Has God forgotten about you? NOOOO!!

Is it possible that you can live your life in Christ without regards to PURPOSE?

I believe so.

And that's because I believe the purpose of our lives are not to have purpose... but to know God.

Again... we all have purpose within the Body. But I don't believe that our day to day lives are meant to be driven by purpose.

Can't we just...

KNOW Him?

In your relationships with people... Do you feel you have to have purpose at every moment? Can't you just be friends, and know each other, and love each other - with no particular agenda?

True... in your relationships you like to DO things with people. Many times there is a particular purpose for you to spend time together. But one of the great things about true, close friends, is that they often don't need to find a purpose in everything they do. Maybe you've just gotten old. I don't mean your age, but your way of thinking. In order to be "mature," you've got to have a reason (a purpose) for everything you do. But think back to your childhood friendships. You didn't always get together because you had some wonderful purpose in mind for your time together.

Ok, I think I've made my point. :)

I think I have a special "part" within the Body of Christ. I think we all do (see previously mentioned scriptures). He lives and moves in us, and we have our entire being in Him... and sometimes that means an obvious expression and movement of the 'body part' that we are. As He works in us, our "purpose" is fulfilled.

But yet the essence of our lives is not purpose. The essence of our lives is that we know Him. The apostle Paul had counted all things as LOSS, including his Jewish heritage and status, his godly zeal, his righteousness, and I think even his own perceived purpose in this life... "that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings..." (Phil 3:10).

When defining Eternal Life, Jesus didn't speak of us finding our "purpose in life." He said, while praying to the Father, "And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent."

We all have desires... we long for purpose in this life. I don't think there's anything wrong with seeking God to fulfill His purposes in us. But there is something so much greater... something that in our day to day life supersedes, and is so much more important that purpose. It's "that I may know Him."

Again, the question...

Can't we just KNOW Him???