“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go.”—Psalm 32:8
People who live without a motivating passion are usually tired and lacking inspiration. It’s hard to drag yourself out of bed every day without a reason. Living with a God-inspired purpose gives you the motivation to “take on the day.”
When God calls us, He plants a passion deep in our hearts that so moves us, we cannot help but act.
Os Guinness writes, “Calling is the truth that God calls us to Himself so decisively that everything we are, everything we do, and everything we have is invested with a special devotion, dynamism, and direction lived out as a response to His summons and service.”1
When ancient King Solomon knew what he was called to do and did it, he lived gloriously.
His life flourished with wisdom as he honored the Lord and built the Temple. His reign ushered Israel into her Golden Age. It was glorious—until Solomon lost sight of his purpose. He acquired treasures and power. He basked in the approval of men, but forgot his own dedication to the temple: “Let your heart be loyal to the LORD our God, to walk in His statutes and keep His commandments” (1 Kings 8:61).
He began to meander all over the spiritual and philosophical landscape.
Influenced by foreign wives, Solomon allowed the worship of other gods; his heart was divided. He became a weak, self-indulgent ruler, no longer the strong, godly leader he was.
When the children of Israel wandered directionless in the wilderness for forty years, the Lord reminded them, “I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Myself” (Exodus 19:4). God had a specific purpose and destination for His people, as a nation and as individuals. He didn’t just direct His people to a promised land where they would flourish physically.
His first priority was to bring them to Himself.
The world today is still a wilderness and God is still directing His people—but the first destination will always be back into fellowship with Him.
When we stop asking Him for direction, we get lost. Because He loved His people, as He loves us today, God allowed whatever was necessary to get them back on course.
So He dealt with the children of Israel, Solomon—and us. When God’s purpose is fulfilled in your life, your life will be glorious!
And you won’t get lost.
1. Guinness, Os. The Call (Nashville, TN: Word Publishing, 1998) p. 29.
