[For my determined purpose is] that I may know Him [that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly].
Philippians 3:10a AMPC
Purpose. It’s the reason we exist. It can be a driving force in our lives. One of the big reasons people wander and even experience some measure of depression is a lack of purpose and focus in life.
There are a lot of things I want to do while I’m still alive. I want to be a good wife, mother, sister, daughter and friend. I want to be an effective and loving pastor’s wife, writer, teacher, and minister.
Some of these things I am already doing, and some things are still on the back burner for a while. In fact, some dreams have been in my heart since Bible School, germinating, growing, maturing, waiting on the right time to come forth into being.
But I wouldn’t call those things my purpose. Those dreams aren’t the reason I get out of bed in the morning. The reason I exist is Him, knowing God, knowing Jesus, knowing the Holy Spirit. The quest of my life and the purpose in my days is to know Him better today than I did yesterday.
The reason I read my Bible isn’t for sermon material. It isn’t so I can win at Sword Drills. It isn’t to check it off my list because it’s something a good Christian does.
It’s to know Him. Everything else we’ll ever do in life will flow from how intimately acquainted we are with Him. Paul wrote this at the end of his life, and that just shows us no matter how long we’ve been walking with Him and how well we know Him, there is always something new to discover. We can always go deeper.
So, this is my daily prayer for myself and for my husband and my kids and my church family. And for you.
Let’s pray together.
Father, we want to know You better today than we did yesterday. We want Your Church in the city of Warren to know You better today than yesterday. Will You give us a fresh revelation of the wonders of Your person? Give us divine insight into who You are. Help us to perceive You and recognize You better today than we did yesterday. And may it light a fire and hunger and desire in us to continue to know You better tomorrow than we do today. In Jesus’ Name, amen.