Acts 20.24
But I do not account my life
of any value nor as precious to myself,
if only I may finish my course
and the ministry that I received
from the Lord Jesus,
to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.
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The great goal of God’s works, a goal which is so variously expressed throughout Scripture, is indeed but one: “the glory of God.” Everything, everything, everything exists and was made and runs the course of its existence for the sole purpose of putting on grandiose display the worth, beauty, majesty, and glory of God Almighty.
The chief end of man
is to glorify God
and enjoy Him forever.
-Westminster Confession of Faith
I was designed for the very purpose of putting on display the grandeur of my Creator. I was designed to bear His image and be a billboard declaring His goodness. There is no greater end that I could strive for in life other than to know Him and to make Him known, and there is nothing that can truly satisfy me in this life other than doing and being exactly what I was created to be.
God’s passion to be glorified
and our passion to be satisfied
are one experience
in the Christ-exalting act of worship.
-John Piper
It isn’t wrong to seek satisfaction and fulfillment. In fact, I would do well to earnestly and relentlessly seek those things! Yet in a world that is endlessly preaching to “find your true identity,” “live your truth” and “do what makes you happy,” it is fascinating that these desires are not inherently wrong, but we recognize that we often seek these in misguided ways. Consider what C.S. Lewis said about these desires:
“It would seem that our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered to us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.”
Incredibly, the only way I can find my “true self” and find true happiness and satisfaction is by doing exactly what I was designed to do: enjoy Jesus. He desires to receive honor and glory from my life, and He designed it so that I would even receive great satisfaction by pursuing the very thing He desires! Therefore, I want to aim to finish my course of life doing exactly what God gave me to do: to testify of the Gospel of the grace of God. I want to live my life for His glory, not settling on anything less. And by this I will be satisfied by Him.
Read Again Out Loud and Make it into a Prayer:
Acts 20.24
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Personalize and Read or Pray Aloud:
Psalm 145.1–21
A Song of Praise. Of David.
1 I will extol you, my God and King,
and bless your name forever and ever.
2 Every day I will bless you
and praise your name forever and ever.
3 Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised,
and his greatness is unsearchable.
4 One generation shall commend
your works to another,
and shall declare your mighty acts.
5 On the glorious splendor of your majesty,
and on your wondrous works,
I will meditate.
6 They shall speak of the might
of your awesome deeds,
and I will declare your greatness.
7 They shall pour forth the fame
of your abundant goodness
and shall sing aloud of your righteousness.
8 The Lord is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger and abounding
in steadfast love.
9 The Lord is good to all,
and his mercy is over all he has made.
10 All your works shall give thanks to you,
O Lord, and all your saints shall bless you!
11 They shall speak of the glory
of your kingdom and tell of your power,
12 to make known to the children of man
your mighty deeds, and the glorious
splendor of your kingdom.
13 Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
and your dominion endures
throughout all generations.
The Lord is faithful in all his words
and kind in all his works.
14 The Lord upholds all who are falling
and raises up all who are bowed down.
15 The eyes of all look to you;
you give their food in due season.
16 You open your hand;
you satisfy the desire
of every living thing.
17 The Lord is righteous in all his ways
and kind in all his works.
18 The Lord is near to all who call on him,
to all who call on him in truth.
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Pray Aloud:
Father, help __________
to glorify You in every way.
Reveal Your beauty in _________
as it is in Heaven.
Give _________ daily bread,
and thank You for Your undeserved mercy.
Help us to forgive others who have hurt us.
Keep __________heart soft for You,
for Your Word, for prayer,
and for those that You put in their life,
that they may keep their heart
from evil and sin.
Thank You for Your grace and mercy.
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