Stop Pursuing Direction and Start Pursuing Purpose

Can two people walk together without agreeing on the direction? [Amos 3.3]

The last few days I have used the word "direction" quite a bit here in this blog. As it turns out, here it is again.

When I saw this word actually in the text of today's reading, I thought of a map. On that map are many destinations - each in a unique "direction." The only way to functionally walk together in the same direction to any one of these destinations is to be unified in purpose for going there. In other words, if I intend to take food to my children in Tulsa, and you intend to pick up a refrigerator in Little Rock, it is not likely that we can travel together in agreement! Why? Because our purposes are entirely different.

Herein lies the problem in the Church today. Far too many are on a "spiritual journey" that is a direction and not a purpose. That is precisely why we see so many divisions among those who claim Christ.

How many times do we hear this? "This is the direction God is leading me..." In too many instances, this is our way of saying, "I don't agree with your way, so I am going my way..."

This is why we, the Body of Christ, need to be unified in purpose.

But, what is our purpose?

I am so glad you asked - it is the Kingdom of God and His righteousness. We have four entire books in the Bible that give us the example of Jesus Christ walking this earth not with direction, but with purpose.

The reason we do not walk in agreement with our fellow believers is because we have lost our purpose and instead begun to pursue direction. You won't find this in the life that Jesus so pointedly modeled for us. Jesus remained focused on one thing to the end - the Kingdom of God.

This brings up another point: if we look to the Bible for direction (as we are so often told to do), we are likely to come away confused. Why? Because the Bible was NOT written to give us direction! The Bible was written to give us purpose! As in the Tulsa/Little Rock illustration earlier in this post, our direction is founded upon our purpose.

So, the question begs to be asked, what is our purpose? Our purpose is one and the same as the Bible's purpose. Our purpose is one and the same as Jesus' purpose. Our purpose is the Kingdom of God. Anything else is merely a direction that will ultimately cause division.

Does my life reflect the purpose of God found in the Bible? Is my life even remotely identifiable as Christ-like (and by Christ-like, I mean "like Jesus" as His life is lived out in the Gospels)?

I think it is high time we stop pursuing direction and start pursuing purpose - Kingdom purpose.

Father, my mind is racing with so many more thoughts about purpose as it compares to direction. I know this is important - I know it was important for Jesus to demonstrate it while on earth. Help me to get it right and leave off my pursuit of direction and take up instead the pursuit of purpose.