Purposes

From the outset of this little shindig, let me give you my general logic for this writing: The Picture atop this post is one of a pot. The purpose of a pot is to be used for cooking. Therefore, if a pot is not being used for cooking, it is not fulfilling its purpose. Simple, but it makes sense to me. Now…let me set the context for what seems like a random picture and line of thinking.

The story goes that for many years, the pot in the picture was the camp cook pot for a local family every year during the first week of October when they would go camping for the week and bring in the new squirrel hunting season. Year in and year out, the pot did what it was designed to do, and every meal eaten in squirrel camp was cooked in that black pot. At some point, life changed and the yearly squirrel hunting and camping extravaganza became a thing of the past, and the camp cook pot that had fulfilled its purpose so well and for so long became a relic of an item put away in someone’s barn – out of sight/out of mind you know.

I was captivated by this story, and, knowing the family that owns the said pot quite well, I asked permission to put the pot back into service. That permission was granted, and if our math is correct, after somewhere in the neighborhood of 60 years, that old pot produced its first sizzle and provided a meal for a group of, of course, STARVING teenagers at a homegrown summer camp that I was privileged to be a part of. While cooking the meal in the old kettle, I shared a quick lesson about fulfilling our purpose with those teens that I would like to share with you now.

In Romans 12:3-8 we learn that each individual Christian has been given certain spiritual gifts by God. These gifts that we have are our interstate highway system, so to speak, that provides us the avenue to fulfill our purpose that God created us for in the first place. In those same verses in Romans 12, the implication is made that as we are given a gift, the expectation is that we diligently use them in serving God and other people. From a pastor’s perspective, it is greatly rewarding to see my people implementing their spiritual gifts and living up to their divine purpose! Conversely, one of the most disheartening things for a pastor to see is people who are wonderfully gifted by God choosing to be like that old pot was for 60 years – fully capable of fulfilling a purpose, but just sitting around doing nothing.  Now – you know I have to ask this penetrating question…Which category are you in? I hope you can honestly say that you are fully immersed in serving God with the gifts He has given you thus fulfilling your God-given purpose. And if you can’t honestly say that, I hope you realize that God is a God of restoration. He can and will forgive the sin of disobedience and put you back into service if you’ll just come clean before Him – 1John 1:9 

Like that old black iron pot that was made for the purpose of cooking, you and I were made with a God-shaped purpose in mind. I have found that the greatest joy in life is not found in amassing possessions, prestige, and prizes. The greatest joy is found by being wrapped up in service to the God who created us, faithfully utilizing the gifts he has given us, and actively fulfilling the purposes to which He has called us.  In that, my friends, is true joy! So somewhere down the stream of life or around the next bend in the road, all the while joyfully fulfilling our God-ordained purposes, I’ll see you – In The Great Outdoors!