bits from bob....

What If We Miss Our Destiny?

by Robert J. Young
©, 2003, Robert J. Young
[permission is given to reprint with credit noted]

One of the more intriguing lines in the movie, "Stranger Among Us," occurs toward the end of the movie when the heroine, Melanie Griffith, resolves to find her beshart--her destiny. She rejects a shortcut to "love" believing she can find a soul-mate who is her genuine destiny.
A few years ago after I performed the marriage ceremony for a son of one of my elders, the mother observed, "David has found his destiny--his soulmate."
In the movie Sabrina, the question is raised: What if she is my destiny?

All three of these statements have in common the concept of destiny. The dictionary defines the word: "Destiny: that to which one is destined." "Destine: to dedicate, assign, or dedicate in advance; to develop for a purpose."

1. What is the destiny of this church?
Today I am thinking about this church and our destiny. What is the purpose of this church? What is our mission? Our culture is into missions statements. A recent lectureship offered classes to learn how to write a personal mission statement and a mission statement for my family. Businesses are writing missions statements. Churches are developing missions statements. We now have one. Are they accurate? Are they true? Do they represent the real intentions of those involved? What is our mission? What is our purpose? How would we know? What does God want us to do, me to do, you to do?

2. What if we miss our destiny?
What if we miss our calling, our purpose, our reason for existence? We must know where we are being called to go, and we must go there. If we know the reason for our existence, and if our reason for being is no different than any other church, there is no reason for us being here. We can close up and go home. But believe there is a reason. It is not just a selfish reason. It is a reason from God. God has placed us here for a purpose.

While the word destiny does not appear in the translation I recently read of the book of Esther, the concept is clearly present in the challenging phrase, "for such a time as this." Surely we, as Esther, have been placed in this place at this time "for such a time as this."
Destiny is in view when Jesus prays, "Deliver me from this hour, No, Father, I came to this world for this hour."

Each of us is here for a purpose. This church is here for a purpose. May we define and pursue that purpose, to the glory of God.


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Last updated November 20, 2003.