Luke 1:65 Awe fell upon the whole neighborhood, and the news of what had happened spread throughout the Judean hills.66 Everyone who heard about it reflected on these events and asked, “What will this child turn out to be?” For the hand of the Lord was surely upon him in a special way.
In the DIY world we have come to hear many new terms that really stick with us. One of those terms I hear again and again is the term Repurposed. Repurposed (def) - to give a new purpose or use to. We grow up thinking we will do a certain thing or be a certain person and that impression is in our mind in a very strong way. It becomes our purpose or direction in life or to put it another way "it is my purpose for living." So begins the process. First we go through our early education years and the friendships that help mold us, always with that purpose in mind. Then we begin to get serious about the direction we will go in and the choice of upper level education or vocational job training to accomplish that purpose begin to take on a more significant part in our choices. Then we work to get our "dream" job, which is just another part of realizing our purpose in life. Getting to this purpose in life is super important because it can affect our relationships (especially marriage) friendships, life choices and many other things in our life. Perhaps all of these moves to get to your purpose in life have been based on a very worldly vantage point. In other words, you are doing what everyone else is doing, but just with your particular spin on it. It is called "life" and we are trying our best to follow our purpose and find happiness. And we invest greatly in those choices we make and years go by and we look back either with regret or happiness.
Think about John the Baptist and his purpose being set even before birth as to what he would do and where he would go. John's purpose was to announce the coming of the Messiah and make way for Him to begin His ministry. What a great purpose. As it says in verse 66 of the above scripture "the hand of the Lord was surely upon him in a special way." Look at what happened when Elizabeth and Mary, both pregnant met each other. The connection of John and Jesus was set before they were physicallly born and the Holy Spirit was all over this connection. Luke 1:42 Elizabeth gave a glad cry and exclaimed to Mary, “God has blessed you above all women, and your child is blessed.43 Why am I so honored, that the mother of my Lord should visit me?44 When I heard your greeting, the baby in my womb jumped for joy.45 You are blessed because you believed that the Lord would do what he said.”
So our purpose is important! The very direction of our life and moves we make throughout life to fulfill that purpose are important to God. We may not be like John the Baptist, but we do have significance in the plans of God and knowing those plans are vital not only to our lives, but to those lives we impact through the years. For many of us there is such a thing as Repurposing. Look at the following scripture and see how God Repurposed these lives and changed them and history for eternity. Matthew 4:18 One day as Jesus was walking along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers—Simon, also called Peter, and Andrew—throwing a net into the water, for they fished for a living. 19 Jesus called out to them, “Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!” 20 And they left their nets at once and followed him. 21 A little farther up the shore he saw two other brothers, James and John, sitting in a boat with their father, Zebedee, repairing their nets. And he called them to come, too. 22 They immediately followed him, leaving the boat and their father behind. They dropped their nets, their purpose, their livelihood and left it all for Jesus. Their lives and purpose in life was changed or Repurposed! From their vantage point they couldn't see all that was going to happen in the days ahead, but they followed.
It doesn't matter where you are in your life, Jesus can Repurpose each of us to follow Him just like the first disciples and the heart follows Jesus can and will change eternity for many people from that day forward. But we have to be willing and we have to be listening for HIS call. All my life I wanted to be a professional singer and studied and worked hard to make that happen and in the midst of going to next level God intervened and Repurposed my life to follow Him and forget all the rest. I thought I knew what my purpose was in life and God Repurposed my life to be in line with His will for my life. After His Repurposing I can say things have been tough at times, but the rewards and the lives changed before my very eyes are blessings too numerous to mention and realize. If God is working a work in your life and you can tell He is wanting to Repurpose your life direction, stop and listen to the call He may be putting on your life. This Repurpose is not a Do It Yourself. It is more DIHW, or Do It His Way. God spoke through the prophet Jeremiah with these wonderful worlds of encouragment . Jeremiah 29:1 For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.
So what will it be? Your purpose, or God's Repurpose! It is your choice, so make it wisely and just like the birth of Jesus, the rebirth of all who come to faith in Jesus have a new purpose for living, and His name is Jesus.
The Pilgrimage continues....
David Warren
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