Day 20 purpose

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fRvaJANXkAI    This is Barak Obamas speech at Rev Jesse Jacksons funeral.  Its 28 minutes and worth a watch all the way through.  But the bit Id really like you to hear is the last three minutes.  From 25 mins to the end.

''Its hard to hope.  Its tempting to give up and give in to cynicism or to just put your head down and wait for the storm to pass but........ we are to be heralds of change, messengers of hope, to say 'send me';  wherever we have a chance to make an impact. Not for fame or glory or because success is guaranteed, but because it gives our life purpose . Because it aligns with what our faith tells us God demands''

What gives your life purpose?   I think its a really good question to ask at this stage of life.  What gives me purpose is different today than what it was years ago.  Im now much less concerned about doing and more taken up with the question of 'being'.  I no longer ask ' what can I do?'  Because I know what I can do.  I know where my gifts and talents lie.  I also know only too well my faults and failings.  Nowadays Im thinking more about who I can be in any situation.  In whatever task Im attempting can I be an encouragement?  Can I bring peace?  Or will I bring division and discontent?   If my attitude is negative then my impact will be negative.  Regardless of how competently I might be doing the job.  

I was talking to a friend the other day about the unseen impact we have everywhere we go.  Even if we only meet someone for moments or walk into a room without saying a word, spiritually we are carrying Jesus and the atmosphere shifts because He is with us.  I think back on people in my life who made a very big impact who probably never knew it.  People who preached life-changing sermons. People who let me pray with them in meetings where Id never see them again.  Those who shared life stories with me which just 'stuck' in my brain and which years later I recalled at a crucial moment.  We have all been affected by people we probably didnt know well or maybe even only experienced through a screen.  They have no idea of the impact they had on us.  And equally WE have no idea of the impact we have had on others.  Sometimes we can look at our lives and think that we havent really achieved much for Jesus.  We didnt go on the mission trips.  We didnt do the street evangelism or go door to door.  We serve in church but nobody really notices.  Our families take us a bit for granted.  The enemy wants us to think that we dont really matter.

But we do

We carry treasure of inestimable worth.  We are full of dynamite.  We are lethal to the forces of darkness and demons tremble when we are out and about.  Our praises rend the heavens and magnify the already mighty name of God .  Our prayers are effective and powerful (Jas 5:16 )  Our light shines in the darkness and the darkness cannot overcome it.   This is our purpose.



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