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Why?

Between 1646 and 1647 a group of Anglicans came together in part to resolve an important question, "What is the reason man exists?"  The resulting document is known as the Shorter Westminster Catechism.  It simply says "The chief end of man is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever." It's important that we keep this in its sequential order.   We exists (first) to glorify God with our lives. We exists (second) to enjoy Him forever.  The second is predicated on the first.

 Why this becomes important is that there are many times in life that we are called to glorify God in a manner that we do not enjoy.  Some times we are given seasons where we neither enjoy life not particularly enjoy God.  Every day seems a fight.  Every day brings us new difficulty, crisis and struggle.  If our mandate to glorify God is based upon how we feel in the moment, we would separate ourselves from Him.  We can not lose focus though on the fact that He is still God when our enjoyment level dips into the negative.  

 We are called to glorify Him (first) and as we do, we will enjoy Him forever.  As we glorify Him in our lives when it's not easy, He will reveal the means to joy in sorrow, happiness when the days are dark and peace in the middle of conflict.  We must remember that every one of these things has been granted through God to achieve for us, "...an eternal glory that far outweighs them all (2 Cor 4:17), making us "perfect and complete, lacking in nothing (James 1:4).  In short the very crisis you are experiencing is teaching you to know God deeper (Heb 13:5b), and in doing so, enjoy Him in a greater sense because you are not coming and going in your walk with Him. You have found your secret place (Psalm 91) and you are 'abiding'.  You have come to know the value of the place God has created for you to know Him intimately. You have found your fearlessness in Him.  You have decided to stay in that place as a permanent resident.

 Today I found an example of what has been written so far in this verse that gave me pause:
"Elijah was a human being, even as we are.  He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the earth for three and a half years.  Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops"  James 5:17 - 18.

 The story is taken from the account of Elijah in 1 Kings 17.  In the story He was distraught over the sins of the people, especially their King Ahab.   Elijah rises from basic obscurity to hold a position of great influence over the land and her leaders.  When he had first prayed, God took him to a place where to drought had no effect on Him.   Every day he was supernaturally fed.  He also had water to spare.   Yet that was not to be his for the remaining time of drought. Step into the shoes of Elijah a minute.  He, led by God,  pronounces the curse of famine.  God then takes care of Him, for a season.  He is then forced away from that peace and safety and sent to the last person who could supply.  He then faces the reality of only prolonging the widows sons death.  

 You have to wonder if Elijah ever got so frustrated with the way God did things that He wished he had never been uttered that curse of drought.

 But look further in the story.  Because of the season of peace and safety, He learned that God is there for Him.   Because of the interaction with the widow, He knew God would supply for Him.   Because of the raising of the son to life, He knew that God will do supernaturally through Him.  All of these things prepared Him to challenge the greatest evil of the day and see it wiped out in the land, when He battled the prophets of Baal and Ashoreth on Mount Carmel.

 Everything that Elijah had faced - led him to this moment of power.  It had built his faith and trust.  He now got to see the full weight of enjoying God as God came through for him like a nuclear bomb.

 Consider this when we face times that we do not enjoy.  God is preparing us.  Stand firm (Eph 6) and see the salvation of your God.







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