Why am I here?

I’m sure that I am not the only person that wonders about their purpose from time to time.

I wrote in “Who Am I?” about the fact that we are created in the image of God and that alone gives us value and identity. How does this manifest in our purpose? Ultimately our purpose is to proclaim the glory of the God who created us. How do we go about it?

Thankfully, He has given us His Word where we can look and discover our purposes as we learn who He is.

God’s conversation with Adam from the beginning speaks to our purpose. We don’t actually have any record of God giving detailed instructions to the animals or plants. He spoke and they were formed, but with Adam, God continues in a dialogue. This 2 way communication was special. It was then, and it’s special today. I am thankful to be included in dialogue with the God of Creation. God is intentional, then, now, and forever.

Let’s look at what God initially communicated to this first being of humanity.

“God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it. Rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, and every creature that crawls on the earth.””
‭‭Genesis‬ ‭1‬:‭28‬ ‭CSB‬‬

We have purpose in the place of dominion. God gave man dominion over the animals and plants. This leads me to think that the purpose of the animals, plants, or Earth is to sustain humanity. What a beautiful reminder that all that we see in nature is here for a purpose, but our purpose is even greater. The more we study the earth and all of its wonders, the more we can sit in awe of the Creator. Then, we can sit in the humble place of knowing that we have an even greater beauty and purpose to Him. 

David gave praise to God for this gift…

“When I observe your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you set in place, what is a human being that you remember him, a son of man that you look after him? You made him little less than God and crowned him with glory and honor. You made him ruler over the works of your hands; you put everything under his feet: all the sheep and oxen, as well as the animals in the wild, the birds of the sky, and the fish of the sea that pass through the currents of the seas.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭8‬:‭3‬-‭8‬ ‭CSB‬‬

God’s divine placement of humanity gives us an identity of value, as an image bearer of Him and a participant in His Kingdom.

We have purpose in the work God gives us. Adam was given a task to do. This is also different than the other created creatures. In this first job assignment, the thought that man has a different purpose than the animals is reassured, as he is observing and naming them. He is not one of them. This task was purposeful, but also revealing. I believe this is true today in our tasks we are given. They serve a purpose, but often are simply pointing us to truth about ourselves and the higher purpose of bringing God glory.

In the process of Adam naming the animals, he is brought to the realization that he is not only different from them, but also alone in that. While the animals each had a complementary mate, he did not…yet. 

Our tasks are not our purpose. This is so easy for us to lean to. With all of the tasks we find (or find us) it is easy to place our identity in the things we do. This was not the intention with the giving of work. Our identity is not what we do. If we equate what we do with who we are, we often forget that we are created in God’s image for the purpose of bringing him glory. Our roles and jobs can become our focus and in turn we end up seeking glory for ourselves in them.

God’s gift of work gives us an identity in Him with purpose, not simply to accomplish tasks, but to give Him glory in the process.

While our tasks can be a great place to see our purpose of glorifying God unfold, so are our relationships.

We have purpose in our relationships. Our relationship with the Creator is the absolute and best gift that God invites us into. He is so generous to also give us each relationships with one another. 

The relationship described here in Genesis is the marriage relationship. It is most definitely a complicated and beautiful union. God has placed a sacredness upon the marriage relationship. In a healthy and Godly marriage I believe that you see a beautiful display of the Gospel. It can display the unconditional love of God, the sacrifice that Christ endured, and the Intimacy of communing with God through the Spirit. It is an intricate and intentionally designed covenant.

It is also the origin for all other relationships. As this first couple multiplied, all other human relationships were formed. You do not have to be married to appreciate the fact that we are all created for relationship.

God created us for this community aspect of life that is displayed in our families. We get to experience any relationship because God created us to be relational, as He is relational.

This too, plays a part in us glorifying God. 

Yet, even this good gift, cannot be our identity. If we place all of our attention on building these earthly relationships, we tend to not only neglect our relationship with God, but put the people we love in God’s place. 

In marriage, parenthood, or friendship, this is possible. 

When I view my role as a wife as my identity, I end up making my husband my idol. 

When view my role as a mom as my identity, I will make my children idols.

As a friend, my friends become idols.

As a good daughter, my parents are my focus and idol.

As an employee, my career, or even money becomes the idol.

In all of these all-to-familiar scenarios, I get the glory for being so good at this role. God is replaced in my heart and mind, as I focus me and my accomplishments.

God has given me people to love. These precious relationships are for my good, but they are for His glory, and therefore they cannot be my focal point. 

As we focus on Him and who He is, He works in our hearts and reveals to us who we are, or whose we are. 

He gave us identity in the very beginning of humanity. We are created in the image of the Most High God. 

He gave us an identity of value, when He designed a special place of dominion for us here on Earth. 

He designed our identity with purpose. We give Him glory as we carry out whatever tasks we take on. 

He gave our identity worth when He created us for relationship. We relate to Him and others in a beautiful community that brings Him glory.

If you are at all familiar with the story of Adam and Eve, you are aware that this identity gets stolen.

We as humans messed it up then, and we mess it up now.

Isn’t it a relief that He always makes a way to bring us back to where we belong. We lost our identity that He so beautifully created, yet He recreates it and has invited us to be transformed to His image, or redeemed back to His image.

We belong right where He has us.

The roles, relationships, and tasks that God has given us are not our purpose, but are a platform in which we live out our true purpose of displaying His glory. We fulfill our purpose in the everyday living in these spaces, as a human, created in the image of God.