WHY AM I HERE ON EARTH?
Sakkie Parsons
Vertaal van Afrikaans: “Hoekom is ek hier op aarde?”
The other day I heard from a woman who was telling on TV how discouraged she became because she couldn’t figure out why she was on this earth.
I tell people when they confront me with something like this the following:
For me, it is as our Lord want us to look at life. In other words, for me the answer to why I am on this earth is childishly simple –
I am here first to glorify our Lord. Because people can see something of His love and His grace, His peace, and His joy, through me.
2 COR 3:18
18And we all, with unveiled face, continually seeing as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are progressively being transformed into His image from [one degree of] glory to [even more] glory, which comes from the Lord, [who is] the Spirit.
We are being changed more and more to be like our Lord, with a glory that continues to increase – by way of the Lord – that is the Holy Spirit – give it to us.
COL 3:9-10
9…. for you have stripped off the old self with its evil practices, 10and have put on the new [spiritual] self who is being continually renewed in true knowledge in the image of Him who created the new self—
Yes, to glorify our Lord through my life and existence is my first priority.
And my second priority is: To preach the saving Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, as He set us the example to do:
MAT 9:35 35Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages [in Galilee], teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the good news (gospel) of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness [His words and His works reflecting His Messiahship].
I try to come as close, as it is possible in my human shortcomings and in my humanity, to carry out the next instruction of our Lord:
MAT 10:27 27What I say to you in the dark (privately), tell in the light (publicly); and what you hear whispered in your ear, proclaim from the housetops [to many people].
I believe and preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ, as my great hero Paul put it on occasion:
2 TIM 4:2-4
2preach the word [as an official messenger]; be ready when the time is right and even when it is not [keep your sense of urgency, whether the opportunity seems favorable or unfavorable, whether convenient or inconvenient, whether welcome or unwelcome]; correct [those who err in doctrine or behavior], warn [those who sin], exhort and encourage [those who are growing toward spiritual maturity], with inexhaustible patience and [faithful] teaching.
3For the time will come when people will not tolerate sound doctrine and accurate instruction [that challenges them with God’s truth]; but wanting to have their ears tickled [with something pleasing], they will accumulate for themselves [many] teachers [one after another, chosen] to satisfy their own desires and to support the errors they hold, 4and will turn their ears away from the truth and will wander off into myths and man-made fictions [and will accept the unacceptable].
Of course, there may be many other things that I would also like to do or achieve in my life in the world – but what I have just shared with you, as I see and experience it in my own life, must never overshadow the above priorities and then I should never really wonder why I am on this earth.
How wonderful to know that you and I, who live out our Christianity, will finally have a part in the fulfillment of this prophecy of our God and Savior:
MAT 24:14 14This good news of the kingdom [the gospel] will be preached throughout the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end [of the age] will come.
How wonderful to remember now, when you wonder again what your purpose in this life is –
Not all of us can preach.
Not all of us can sing.
Not all of us can stand up in church with so many people around you and bring a testimony – and so I can go on and on.
However, we all have the following in common:
We were created by God. Yes, created in His image. This God who creates nothing worthless. That is why we live and are who we are.
We have our identity in our LORD.
So, next time you wonder why you are here on earth – come to rest.
Just stand in front of a mirror if you want, and say to yourself, while remembering the two main reasons, for which you were created:
I was created by God in His image:
ISA 14:27 27“For the LORD of hosts has decided and planned, (that I would live) and who can annul it? His hand is stretched out ,(over me) and who can turn it back?”
GEN 1:26 26Then God said, “Let Us (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) make man in Our image, according to Our likeness [not physical, but a spiritual personality and moral likeness]; and let them have complete authority over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, the cattle, and over the entire earth, and over everything that creeps and crawls on the earth.”
Then you stand up straight, look the world in the eye, and live your Christian life.
To put it in another way:
“Live your faith”
Sakkie
Email: bediening@sakkieparsons.co.za
Website: www.sakkieparsons.co.za
Cell: 083 457 6669
Jude 1:24-25 To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy, to the only God our Saviour be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.
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