THE PRIMACY OF PURPOSE (1)

“Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over…”– Genesis 1:28a

The account of Creation unequivocally underscores THE PRIMACY of PURPOSE: “Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth” (Gen. 1:28). Humankind is not accidental, but a product of Purpose – Reason for Being. There is a Divine Purpose behind everything in creation, including non-living things such as the Sun, Moon, and Stars (vv.16-18). If God could establish the cycles of the moon and the stars, and ordain the positions and movements of the sun, planets, and galaxies with such precision, is it not expected that “the steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord?” (Psa. 8:3, 37:23).

Purpose is the aim or end to which any plan, action, or effort is directed. God is a God of Purpose. All that He created were made for definite purposes – specific reasons for being. Humankind was created in God’s Image and for His grand purpose of Dominion; hence, human beings typically act on purpose. As creatures of Purpose, humanity has in turn ‘created’ numerous products to fulfil specific purposes. Virtually all products of human ingenuity were manufactured with definite functions, purposes, or reasons for being: Automobiles, for mobility; trucks, for hauling; houses, to provide shelter; schools and colleges, for learning; grocery stores, for basic provisions; and hospitals, for medical care.

Over the times, climes, and cultures, the Primary of Purpose has been variously affirmed. John F. Kennedy said, “Efforts and courage are not enough without purpose and direction.” According to Helen Keller, “True Happiness is not attained through self-gratification, but through fidelity to a worthy purpose.” Winston S. Churchill wrote: “It’s not enough to have lived. We should be determined to live for something.” Thomas Carlyle said: “The person without a purpose is like a ship without a rudder.” In the words of Michel de Montaigne, “The soul which has no fixed purpose in life is lost; to be everywhere, is to be nowhere.” Despite this awareness that all things exist for one purpose or the other, multitudes go through a mere existence, having absolutely no idea why they are here or what God has purposed for them in life.

Most notably, Believers in Christ are redeemed to be Persons of Purpose: “In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the PURPOSE of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will” (Eph.1:11); “…according to the ETERNAL PURPOSE which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Eph.3: 10-11). We were born by and for God’s Purpose, with in-built capacity to discover, define, pursue, and fulfil purpose. It is our privilege and responsibility to encounter and embrace the Light of Purpose and Vision.