The Metamorphyx Journey: Part V
The Metamorphyx Journey: Part V
Life Purpose: Living for God’s Glory
Ha! Let’s assume you’ve been zeroed-in on this blog series since mid-October and you are impatiently waiting for this final post! Well, you’ve made it . . . and hopefully your pursuit of Life Purpose is richer.
Since then, we’ve began tracing The Metamorphyx Journey . . . that is, the “steps” on the life purpose pathway that God reveals to us based his sovereign plan for our life. That includes distinct Stages of Life and diverse assignments where we unconditionally Live for God’s Glory. Think about it . . . if that’s our perspective on life, we will face a Savior at heaven’s gate that will jubilantly welcome us with, “Well done, good and faithful servant . . . Come and share your master’s happiness,” (Matt 25:23).
That said, the biggest life application error we can make—as I cautioned in the October 20th post—is to make The Metamorphyx Journey a “linear” or rigid collection of decisions while ignoring the prompts and movement of God’s Spirit in our lives. The schematic above is only a “thinking tool” to help us navigate Life Experience and Life Change implications . . . and to make the journey to Life Purpose more transparent.
Let’s remember too, that at every juncture in our Life Experience . . . at each Pivot Point on our life pathway . . . on every occasion when we cry out, “Speak Lord!” . . . whenever we are enveloped in Life Purpose Contemplation . . . when we are sizing-up Life Change implications and speculating how God’s Call will materialize in a new Stage of Life . . . we can be Living for God’s Glory in surrender to his purposes, no matter the challenges and perils we face.
The Metamorphyx Journey—the pursuit of resilient and fruitful Life Purpose—is both a process and an ever-changing destination as illustrated by the four arrows that circumvent the model. Think about it, Life Purpose is lived out yesterday, today, and tomorrow as we navigate life’s obstacles and challenges. No, never perfectly, of course, but with intentionality, discernment, and guidance via the foundational principles that The Metamorphyx Journey rests upon. It’s worth a minute to review each premise:
§ God’s Sovereignty . . . . . . Human Responsibility: Living under God’s Sovereignty never releases us from the demands to exercise good judgment, practice discernment and make courageous decisions. Scripture boldly tells us that we are God’s masterpiece, created in his image to do good works which he has already prepared for us in advance to complete. (Ephesians 2:10) You and I have the capacity, through God’s Spirit, to obey and flourish in God’s calling.
§ Understanding Life Backward . . . . . . Living Life Forward: Soren Kierkegaard’s counsel and wisdom encourages us to be life learners. We each possess the know-how and capacity to evaluate life experience in our personal rearview mirror and adjust our pathway into the future. Pivot Points define new choices . . . and “Speak Lord!” affirms that a Sovereign God is at work in our lives.
§ In Your Life . . . . . . Through Your Life: It’s a corollary of life that we cannot effectively teach to others what we ourselves have not mastered. Therefore, count on God using a highly unique and “personalized” version of The Metamorphyx Journey to first work his purposes In your life before he works Through you as an agent of his handiwork. That can be in ways you never imagined!
So, as we travel down the pathways of The Metamorphyx Journey, let’s measure our progress by a short collection of scriptural standards and determine whether we are focused on Life Purpose: Living for God’s Glory. Can you embrace each of these verses and declare it as a personal truth and practice in your life? If not, make that your aim!
John 10:27. “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.”
2 Corinthians 5:20. “We are therefore, Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us.”
James 2:18. “But someone will say, ‘You have faith, I have deeds. Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds.’”
2 Peter 3:18. “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.”
1 Peter 3:15. “But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.”
I’m on The Metamorphyx Journey with you. May the blessings and presence of Christ be with you this Holiday Season,
Tom
“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will,” (Romans 12:1-2)
Metamorphyx: Embracing Life Experience, Life Change, and Life Purpose and The Metamorphyx Study Guide can be found on Amazon, B&N and Apple iTunes in print and e-formats.