THE OTHER REASON

We were driving back to our daughter’s apartment last night after a wonderful dinner. We had found a way to slip into Columbus for a few hours of Stephy time. Her med student hubby was studying and so we captured her for a few hours, had a wonderful meal and then headed back with a carry home meal for TJ in tow. As we pulled up to the corner of North Broadway and High Streets Steph made a remark about a power line pole that was next to the street that has since wedged it’s way into my mind. “Look at all the staples in that pole, there must be thousands!” sure enough looking to my right I noticed an old utility pole peppered with, yes thousands of old staples, nails and other sign and poster hanging instruments. I suppose that this pole, located in the northern section of Ohio’s largest college campus had been the recipient of concert posters, want ads, protest signs, and a plethora of other proclamations for who knows how many years. Can you imagine how much information this pole has helped to pass along? How many chose to respond to one of its announcements? How many attended an event because of what they saw displayed on its weathered walls? And how many have paid no absolutely no attention whatsoever? The last being probably the largest category. What really struck me though was this, that’s not even why the pole is there in the first place! It’s a utility pole! And if it were one of those metal poles staples would be the last problem it would have. The bumpers of careless drivers maybe, but not staples! The purpose of the pole is to hold up utility lines such as power, phone and other information technology. That’s why it was built, that’s what it was designed for, that’s what it does best. Yet at the same time, there it is cover with little pieces staple fragments and broken nails. So let me ask, what is your purpose? Why were you created? And more importantly, what are you doing with what you were created for? What were you made for anyway?
The book of Genesis says to us…. “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them….. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.” Well, we do notice that it was God that made us. Contrary to the opinion of many! Now listen in with me to Paul’s words to a church family in Ephesus….. “And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins. Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” So let me sort this out a little. We are made by God and we are made for good works and lastly God expects us to walk in those good works. God made us, and he does do good work. God wants us to be about the business of doing things that are good, and he expects us to be busy with what he’s made us for. I Think I’ve got it now. We miss the true meaning of our lives when we miss what God has planned for us.
One of golf's immortal moments came when a Scotchman demonstrated the new game to President Ulysses Grant. Carefully placing the ball on the tee, he took a mighty swing. The club hit the turf and scattered dirt all over the President's beard and surrounding vicinity, while the ball placidly waited on the tee. Again the Scotchman swung, and again he missed. Our President waited patiently through six tries and then quietly stated, "There seems to be a fair amount of exercise in the game, but I fail to see the purpose of the ball! Thomas Carlyle wrote, “A man without a purpose is like a ship without a rudder--a waif, a nothing, a no man. Have a purpose in life, and, having it, throw such strength of mind and muscle into your work as God has given you.” Does your life resemble the purpose God has for you? C. S. Lewis so aptly said, “The glory of God, and, as our only means to glorifying Him, the salvation of human souls, is the real business of life.” AMEN!