In the presence of the King.

Can you imagine yourself in the palace of a king – not just any king, but someone who is the “Chief Monarch of the entire universe?” This King is mightier than we can humanly imagine.  He is the designer and builder of that universe. He is the one who manages the way everything works, and He holds it all together. 

This King is the one who has established our world and calls it His own.
As you read this description, notice that God grows bigger in our eyes and we seem to grow smaller – less significant, less valuable, - just a small cog in this grand creation.

But remember
The King, Monarch, Designer, Builder, and Controller 
doesn’t see us that way at all.

He sees us as so much more!

 More than just something He created out of dust. (Although, He did.)  He sees us as dearly loved children, made in His own image, and rescued by His Son.

But the funny thing – the sad thing - is that, although God’s might and power and creativity don’t make us less in His eyes, we humans seem to want to make the Mighty God into less than He is.  We attribute to Him some of our own propensities.  We accuse God of inattention, of not caring about our pain.  We even accuse Him of partiality.  Sometimes we expect God to be our buddy, or maybe Santa Clause, or a winning lottery ticket.  Sometimes we even feel we should be able to control the actions of the Almighty against His sovereign will.

So, I question, why do we believe that we are entitled to demand - insist – that God grant all of our desires?  Do we sometimes forget that He is God, and we are not?  He has called us His dearly loved children.  Doesn’t that also mean that He is our Father? The Bible doesn’t just say He is our Father, it calls Him a good Father.  The Bible shows us that, as the good Father, He knows what we need better than we do.  He understands us completely, and never tires of blessing us with His beauty.

Have you not known? Have you not heard?
The LORD is the everlasting God, 
the Creator of the ends of the earth. 
He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable.  
Isaiah 40:28 (ESV)

I was considering this one morning.

God, the good and never changing,

His, a heart infused with care.

God the King of all creation,

Monarch of the earth and air.

Gold stirred sunbeams on my window 

Our Father’s touch,
His Glory there.

God’s sweet, perfumed breeze sweeps by me. 

Bird-song beauty greets the dawning. 

Rest my heart.  My Father’s near.

Every good and perfect gift is from above, 
coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights,
 who does not change like shifting shadows.  
James 1:17 (NIV)

Have a beautiful morning in the presence of the King.

What is my purpose?

 Our earthbound world is noisy and confusing,
and at times we look to find a quiet resting place.
And sometimes in our daily pain or sorrow
we reach to touch our heavenly Father’s face.

In the stillness of the night I need His calming.
In the softness of the morn I need the same.
On this rock-filled road,
 my heart will keep on searching
for a way that I can glorify His name.

When I come into the lonely place of meeting
and in His words, God’s love and grace I see.
When I say, “please make your will be done in my life,”
deep comfort floats from God’s great heart to me.

He’s there in the noisy place.
He’s there in our solitary place.
He’s there 
when we seek our Heavenly Father’s face.

Do you ever think of the chaos that permeates our world today, and wish for peace and quiet?  I do.  I’ve been thinking of how we can possibly live in this world of chaos while negotiating the road to the peace that God promises.  The Bible refers to a peace that passes understanding.  Phillipians 4:7 KJV.

Every step leads to something.  We’re born, we move, we walk, we talk, we grow, and we grow old.  But there really is more to life than that. There are some things along the way that will bring us peace and ultimately at the end of the journey there will be

peace beyond compare.

With every responsibility, with every task, with every journey we take, we must have two things.  We need a reason to do that task and a path to follow.  

The Scripture says about that task - we are created “To show God’s Glory.”  The Bible is clear when it tells us our reason for being here is to glorify God.

Do you ever wonder just how that plays out?  I have and I still do.  But it seems an awesome responsibility to have thrust upon mankind, doesn’t it?  This awesome responsibility is possible with the help of the Holy Spirit, who is our guide and helper.  This responsibility given to us by the only God, the giver of life, the creator of the universe, the beginning, and the end.  

As for the path we are to take, we don’t always need a map. But there always must be some sort of direction, if only for the moment.  The path of each person’s life changes, twists, and turns, but it’s only fulfilling when we follow the direction laid down by the creator of life.

And where does that directed path lead? 

To everything! 

To peace!  

To fulfillment! 

To eternity!  

As we travel that path it will be sure to show us the opportunities to fulfill the reason for our lives – to Glorify the Almighty.

To glorify God is to be a mirror of His image.

Let's look at a few scriptures about our purpose.

The purpose of man is to glorify God and to enjoy him forever.  “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” 1 Corinthians 10:31 NIV 

“You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.” Revelation 4:11 NIV

“And what does the LORD require of you?  To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” Micah 6:8 NIV

May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 15:5-7 NIV  

So there is THE BIG REASON for our lives.  There are many ways this plays out, but the main thing must always remain the main thing.  
We are made in His image
to glorify Him.

I pray that I will do just that today and tomorrow and each minute as I walk on this world.