The Bible gives us the wonderful assurance that we are created by God, and as our Creator, He has designed us for a purpose. We come from Him and, if we believe in Jesus, we return to Him. Our God is not absent or uncaring for His creation. Our identity is found in coming to know Him and discovering His master plan for our lives. Without Him, we cannot truly know our purpose, because our present time on earth is only a part of an eternal picture. Anything we were before Christ will be transformed at our re-birth in Him.
Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come (2 Corinthians 5:17).
Jesus talked much about a judgement to come and that we will be held accountable for what we do with the gift of our days in this world (Matt 12:36). In finding purpose, we need to begin by asking the right question. ‘What is God’s will for my life?’ may seem a good start but it is the wrong place to begin. In our selfish and individualistic Greek-minded society, we are taught to think the world revolves around ‘me’. This question has ‘me’ at the centre of it. True salvation is dying to self so that I may live for Christ.
I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me. Galatians 2:20
True conversion puts Christ at the centre of everything. We will then find our individual identity in Him and His plans and purposes for His planet. The right question to ask is ‘What is God’s will?’ We then fit ourselves into this picture wherever God calls us to serve. Our destiny is intrinsically tied to the destiny of Jesus for we are the body of Christ on earth.
Destiny of a Nation
As with an individual, each nation will have a unique calling in God. This will be tied to the destiny of Jesus. Without this perspective no nation will find its destiny. Only those who have a relationship with the Father in heaven can truly understand this, for He has the master plan. As God’s ekklesia (called out ones) on the earth we carry a great responsibility to seek God for this national identity and to steer our nation towards its destiny in God. But how many Christians have ever asked God to show them this? I am encouraged that a few are beginning to seek this.