My kids are currently obsessed with the animated movie Robots. If you are familiar with the story I will be brief with my summary.
The lead character, Rodney, grows up at his father’s knee, being encouraged to “follow your dream”. Through the ensuing story we learn that the father had not been so encouraged as a young robot, and therefore, he had compromised his skills and talents to utilitarian expediencies of supporting his wife and son.
The story is generally good and it is very encouraging to young kids.
However, the underlying point that must be taken for granted, is that people will have a clearly defined “dream” or “vision” for their service to their fellow ‘bots’, and by implication to the Creator.
This assumption is not true for most humans; maybe it is different for Robots.
Please consider the following.
When an engineer creates a machine or tool, the tool will reflect a clearly defined “design intent”, this physical appearance will reveal for what the tool is supposed to be used.
For example, an archeologist can easily discern designed intent for an unearthed cup, the same is true for a hand saw or a ladle or spoon.
But, how, specifically, does an individual human reflect the Creator’s design intent?
Any answers?
We are talking about a spiritual element of the Human creation, therefore, any attempts to look for the equivilent of a coffee mug’s handle or a saw blades teeth, simply won’t work.
Robots is a cute movie, but our physical lives as homo-sapiens does not so easily reveal God’s will or “vision/dream” function.
Therefore, the overarching role, which we are to play in God’s scheme, must always be subjectively discerned, so long as God refuses to reveal specific details to us directly, e.g. by speaking via burning bushes or by speaking from bright lights that surround us.
It is always the case that people look for signs of God’s plan for us, personally or individually. And it is from the various signs we see, that we will be shaken to the core periodically, because we attempt to apply our interpretation of events to God’s eternal plan.
So here is an all too common scenario…;
I have a “vision” of God’s purpose for me. My interpretation of “God’s Plan” for me is confirmed by subsequent anecdotal evidence. Yet the dream suddenly becomes a “nightmare” and God’s purpose, which had been so clearly perceived just moments before, now becomes apparent chaos, and leaves me attempting to make new order out of the fragmentation of my vision.
Humans are utterly blind to the Father’s specific and detailed plans for each individual self. I am walking blindly into the future. I sometimes bump into walls of chaos, pain and confusion; and sometimes I slip comfortably down corridors of peace, pleasure and tranquility. Yet, neither the chaos nor the tranquility reveals anything about my true and detailed mission as an individual.
Jesus Christ said that many details are only known by the Father (Mark 13:32). So all the conjecture about detailed “vision” of my purpose will only create faith struggles when a new ‘wall of chaos’ jumps out of my future and smacks me squarely in the middle of my“dream”.
The scriptures tell us the beginning of the story is “Here” and the end of the story is “There”, but only this one thing matters, between the “Here and There”; TRUST God the Father through the valley of the shadow of death. He will see you safely through to the other side, PERIOD
Good advice is good advice, but so far as I can tell my purpose is to get a loaf of bread and a gallon of milk and to glorify Jesus to whomever I meet along the way.
What I am attempting to say, is that I need not know the Father’s detailed and specific will for my life.
I have not read The Purpose Driven Life by Dr. Rick Warren, so I am not commenting on his view per se. But rather, I am saying that our “Purpose” is a simple one that does not require that we find some new and innovative way to discern the will of the Father, e.g. high powered tea leaves for divining God’s mind.
We can pick-up trash laying on the ground at the filling station, while we fill up our automobile, and in so doing bring high honor to Jesus. Its just that simple. Anytime we humble ourselves in service to someone else, we have fulfilled our Purpose.
Nothing here, in my opinion, requires more ‘how to’ books by T.D. Jakes, Joel Olstien, Dr. Joyce Meyers or ________ _____ (fill-in the blank).
Just study the life of Christ and His early disciples and then put into practice what you find, voilà you have fulfilled God’s vision and His will.
Knowledge has value.
However, being tempted by the desire to possess knowledge of God’s will & purpose is a trap for me.
I have already been snared by the devil’s scheme. This trap is the same pitfall that captured the hearts of Adam & Eve.
Remember that episode; the serpent tells us to partake of the fruit of knowledge and then we can be like God, by knowing His will.
Being aware of the Father’s detailed plans is irrelevant; it is enough for me to know that God has given His Word to me and for me.
So, in the here and now, I must trust.
It’s not so romantic to think that God’s will is for me to pick up garbage beside a gas pump.
I’d rather dream about having some grand and noble purpose that will set me in a spotlight of creative history, but that is simply not God’s way.
If I want to fulfill my mission and purpose I must set aside those carnal desires for greatness in “my vision”, and instead become humble like the Lord.
And by the way, this doesn’t mean that I have to like the Father’s plan either. Take note that Jesus Christ, the very Son of God and Creator, prayed “let this cup pass from me”, which necessarily implies, that even the Son of God didn’t like the Fathers plan.
My purpose is not discernable.
That is my conclusion of the matter.
God bless,
DSM
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