Are You Wondering About Your Purpose in God's Eyes?

Read |Genesis 1: 26 - 28, CSB|

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Our world is wonderfully diverse. God’s genius is on display in everything that springs from the earth, swarms in the bellies of the seas, is a flight in the sky, travels the earth, and in you and me. It is not uncommon for us to applaud God for His wise design evident in creation. But, it is very rare that we confidently consider Him wise when we look in the mirror and behold what He has made. 

We see our clay vessels through a broken lens. The lens we wear has been distorted by sin and its effects on our ideas of good and evil; worthiness and unworthiness; God and self. We long to be counted beautiful. We long to be counted good. We long to be counted worthy. We long to be at rest with God and self.  

As women, the legacy of culturally, religiously and even state sanctioned violence against our persons further compounds the problem. From our first breath we are at war with subtle, and not so subtle, messages that we are somehow not enough. Not enough to play that game, take that class, pursue that career, lead that team, preach that sermon, teach that class, pray that prayer, and the list goes on. These messages are as flaming arrows seeking to pierce the hearts of God’s girls. But thanks be to God, we have not been left without aid. To us He has given His Spirit, who leads us into all truth, and His Word. And what wonderful things He has said about us and set apart for us in His Word!

Our passage for this week is from the first chapter of the book of beginnings, written by Moses. In this chapter, we are invited to hear the story of the universe’s creation and see how its wise design reveals our God’s true nature. We learn that before time God was. We learn that God is the creator of the entire universe. We learn that God  is able to call forth things into existence. We learn that God is the author of time. We learn that God’s Word is powerful, for with it He ordered the world: dividing the waters from above from the ones below; gathering the waters to form seas and bringing forth dry land. We learn that God’s Word not only creates order, but authors life: causing the seas, sky and land to teem with it. We learn that God declared the purposes and names of the things He made. We learn that God approved the things He made. And we learn that He made us in His image: male and female. (Genesis 1: 1 - 28, CSB). 

No other living thing, not the creatures that fill the seas, skies or cover the land, receives such an announcement. Only we do. When God fashioned us, both male and female, He made us to uniquely reflect His glory on the earth. To the creatures who are counted as having the breath of life, i.e. the wildlife of the earth, the birds of the sky and the creatures crawling over the face of the earth, He gave the mandate to be fruitful, multiply and fill the earth. But, to us He said: “Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it. Rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, and every creature that crawls on the earth.” (Genesis 1:28, CSB, emphases mine).

Beloved, God has not left your purpose a mystery. His design for your life was set at the start. You were to be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth and subdue it. You were to rule the fish, birds and every creature that crawls on the earth. You were to accomplish this by His Spirit, as one in close and continued communion with Him. The choice of our fore-parents in the Garden of Eden frustrated our purpose because it severed our relationship with God. (Genesis 3). We cannot enter our purpose in the absence of God. But, with God we are able to do these things: 

1. Be fruitful - As we meditate on His Word day and night and walk in agreement with its counsel, with the help the Holy Spirit provides, in us will be fashioned the character of Christ, i.e. we will bear fruit: love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. (Psalm 1 and Galatians 5: 22 - 23).
2. Multiply - As the character of Christ is cultivated in us through close fellowship with the Holy Spirit, we will have the opportunity to answer the call to discipleship, i.e. to support others in living the Spirit led life in the context of intentional relationship.
3. Fill - As we follow the Lord we can be assured that He is intentionally choosing our time and place. In each place that we find ourselves, the call to discipleship will be there.  When we obey, we not only support the spiritual development of others, but increase the sphere of influence of Jesus Christ in our world. We’re filling it!
4. Subdue/Rule - We aren’t just called to be changed and to foster the development of others. We are also called to subdue/rule the earth under the holy, righteous, just, merciful and gracious influence of our King. The everyday spaces we occupy should smell like Jesus Christ because we are there exalting His name, living in agreement with and advocating for His truth and encouraging others to taste and see that He is good.

Beloved, your King has called you for such a time as this. Your purpose is not a deep mystery to be uncovered. It is in Him. It is for Him. You were made in His image and for His purposes. You were made to live under His holy, righteous, just, merciful and gracious influence. Any authority in your life that does not echo the character of God is not of God.  If you are in a relationship with someone who works against your capacity to be fruitful, multiply, fill and subdue/rule the earth, then you are in a relationship with someone who is opposing God’s purposes for you on the earth. 

Fortify yourself with the truth by going deeper with this sermon by Pastor Tony Evans:

In need of help CALL: 1. 800.799.SAFE (7233) or TTY 1.800.787.3224. 

For our sisters in Jamaica:
Kingston 
Address: 4 Ellesmere Road, Kingston 10
Phone: (876) 929-9038
Fax: (876) 926-9418
Email: wicrisiscentre@yahoo.com and womanincjamaica@gmail.com
 
Montego Bay
Affiliate Address: 53 St. James Street
Phone: (876) 952-9533-4
Hours: Monday – Friday, 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
Email: womanincjamaica@gmail.com

​It’s never too early to start developing your girl’s sense of her God-given value, identity and purpose. Checkout this resource: Lies Girls Believe: And the Truth that Sets Them Free (Lies We Believe)

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Reflect:

How does today’s sharing invite you, as a child of God, to live? (Hint: use the categories below to help you reflect).

• Spiritually: How you relate to God.
• Soul and Mind: How you think, choose, your sense of right and wrong and your feelings.
• Body: What you do with it (actions); where you take it (environment); how you treat it (give and or withhold); with whom you share it and why.