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It's not about us.
It's all about Him.

Richness in Christ

Words That Burn in My Heart

Revisiting My Core Purpose

One day Jesus asked, "How well do you understand your purpose?" I was silent. He waited, didn't feel a need to fill my silence with words.

"My purpose is to walk with you, to be one with you. Be loyal and faithful to you. Not do things that deny you or undermine you. To live in such a way that others see Christ, know Christ, become mature and complete in Christ so that they may be presented to God the Father perfect in their relationship wit Christ."

"Chuck, simplify. Just simplify"

"O.K. Like what?"

"First of all, you have it exactly backwards. You have been seeking your purpose and what you can do for me. That's not the way it works. You didn't choose me; I chose you-to go and produce fruit. That's your purpose." He paused.

"Fruit?"

"'Fruit' is Christ-likeness. Treating people the way I treat them. Remember? "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength?" That's Christ-likeness. And when you do for others as you would like them to do for you, that's Christ-likeness. And that's your core-purpose. When you live out your core-purpose, that's bearing fruit. It's fruit that will last. My true followers bear much fruit. That is, they keep growing in their Christ-likeness."

I was silent for awhile. Then, "That's my purpose? Bearing fruit? Growing in treating others the way you treat me? Growing in unconditional love? That's all?! "

"Yes, Chuck. That's all. But be prepared; at some point it may cost you all."

That night I was called to the bedside of a dying man. His only living relative, a niece who lives richness in Christ, and who had come a thousand miles to be with him, sat tearfully and lovingly beside him. I entered into her pain and also shared her joy that her uncle was going to be with Jesus. I held her hand, gave her a hug, tenderly stroked the arms and brow of the dying man. A few minutes later I began reading scripture and praying over the comatose man and his grieving niece who loved him so much. And in the midst of a verse Jesus laid on my heart, "Chuck, this is fruit-bearing. You entered in and shared me. Your presence is revealing my presence more fully. This is what I mean by fruit-bearing. This is richness in Christ. This is what I called you to do. This is your core purpose."

Later that night the man died, and on my way home, like Jesus' mother I pondered many things in my heart.