1 00:00:02,720 --> 00:00:15,160 Speaker 1: Life Audio. Thank you for listening to your daily prayer, 2 00:00:15,400 --> 00:00:17,680 Speaker 1: where we help you find the words you need to 3 00:00:17,720 --> 00:00:20,520 Speaker 1: connect to your Father in Heaven. No matter what's happening 4 00:00:20,520 --> 00:00:23,240 Speaker 1: in your life today, you can trust that God wants 5 00:00:23,280 --> 00:00:25,880 Speaker 1: to hear from you. Right after this short word from 6 00:00:25,920 --> 00:00:30,360 Speaker 1: our sponsors, we'll pray through today's prayer to remember our Purpose. 7 00:00:47,800 --> 00:00:51,680 Speaker 1: A Prayer to Remember Our Purpose written by Laura Bailey, 8 00:00:52,200 --> 00:00:56,720 Speaker 1: read by Lea Gerard. So God created mankind in his 9 00:00:56,760 --> 00:00:59,680 Speaker 1: own image, in the image of God. He created them 10 00:01:00,040 --> 00:01:05,680 Speaker 1: male and female. He created them Genesis one, twenty seven. 11 00:01:06,040 --> 00:01:10,800 Speaker 1: Out of curiosity, I googled what's my purpose. It's evident 12 00:01:10,840 --> 00:01:13,760 Speaker 1: from the numerous pages of search results that this is 13 00:01:13,800 --> 00:01:17,640 Speaker 1: a popular question, And while I didn't expect a biblical 14 00:01:17,640 --> 00:01:20,080 Speaker 1: response to be one of the top search results, it 15 00:01:20,160 --> 00:01:23,720 Speaker 1: took me a bit of scrolling to find a Christian response. 16 00:01:25,319 --> 00:01:29,759 Speaker 1: It's not surprising that the overarching solution to finding one's 17 00:01:29,840 --> 00:01:34,800 Speaker 1: purpose is a result of looking inward, asking ourselves, what 18 00:01:34,880 --> 00:01:37,720 Speaker 1: do I like to do, what do I want to 19 00:01:37,760 --> 00:01:41,840 Speaker 1: define my life? Or whose life do I want to emulate. 20 00:01:43,400 --> 00:01:45,920 Speaker 1: I don't argue that it's not beneficial at times to 21 00:01:45,959 --> 00:01:49,840 Speaker 1: evaluate our current circumstances. Sometimes it is helpful to make 22 00:01:49,880 --> 00:01:54,160 Speaker 1: a change to improve ourselves in some way. However, as Christians, 23 00:01:54,600 --> 00:01:56,960 Speaker 1: we need to make sure we're using the right filter 24 00:01:57,400 --> 00:02:01,480 Speaker 1: to find answers or solutions to our life's questions. Let's 25 00:02:01,520 --> 00:02:06,440 Speaker 1: go back to my original question, what's my purpose? When 26 00:02:06,440 --> 00:02:09,520 Speaker 1: we looked to Scripture to define our purpose and reasons 27 00:02:09,560 --> 00:02:13,359 Speaker 1: for existing, we see that the answer lies not within ourselves, 28 00:02:13,360 --> 00:02:17,760 Speaker 1: but in the one who created us. We see in 29 00:02:17,840 --> 00:02:21,600 Speaker 1: Genesis one twenty seven that God created us in his image, 30 00:02:21,639 --> 00:02:25,799 Speaker 1: both male and female, equally loved and equal standing under 31 00:02:25,800 --> 00:02:29,760 Speaker 1: God's authority. The fact that men and women were equals 32 00:02:30,160 --> 00:02:33,640 Speaker 1: to modern readers doesn't seem that big of a deal. However, 33 00:02:33,919 --> 00:02:38,200 Speaker 1: when Moses originally wrote Genesis around fourteen forty to fourteen 34 00:02:38,240 --> 00:02:43,280 Speaker 1: thirty BC, the idea of equality among the sexes was radical. 35 00:02:44,280 --> 00:02:48,680 Speaker 1: Women weren't even considered members of society in the social 36 00:02:48,760 --> 00:02:54,640 Speaker 1: standings they fell under enslaved people. The fact that Scripture 37 00:02:54,760 --> 00:02:59,200 Speaker 1: explicitly states that God created man and woman in his 38 00:02:59,320 --> 00:03:05,560 Speaker 1: image reveals God's love for all his creation. God doesn't 39 00:03:05,560 --> 00:03:09,880 Speaker 1: play favorites. We are all precious in his sight. God 40 00:03:09,960 --> 00:03:14,560 Speaker 1: wasn't lonely. He didn't create humanity to entertain him or 41 00:03:14,600 --> 00:03:18,960 Speaker 1: for companionship. We were made out of love to be 42 00:03:19,120 --> 00:03:23,120 Speaker 1: in a relationship with God and to bring him praise 43 00:03:23,600 --> 00:03:28,520 Speaker 1: and honor. Therefore, the key to finding our purpose isn't 44 00:03:28,600 --> 00:03:32,000 Speaker 1: found internally, and that's a good thing. We humans are 45 00:03:32,040 --> 00:03:36,080 Speaker 1: fickle creatures. We change our minds, preferences, and ideas all 46 00:03:36,120 --> 00:03:39,800 Speaker 1: the time. If we look to ourselves to define our purpose, 47 00:03:40,040 --> 00:03:46,240 Speaker 1: we'll make ourselves crazy because the definition would constantly be changing. Instead, 48 00:03:46,560 --> 00:03:51,120 Speaker 1: when we remember the reason why God, the creator of 49 00:03:51,280 --> 00:03:55,840 Speaker 1: the universe, who is unchanging, created us, we can be 50 00:03:55,920 --> 00:04:00,200 Speaker 1: assured of our purpose. We don't have to scout or 51 00:04:00,280 --> 00:04:03,680 Speaker 1: the web or scroll through social media to define who 52 00:04:03,720 --> 00:04:08,560 Speaker 1: we are. Instead, we are defined by who we belong to. You, 53 00:04:09,280 --> 00:04:15,720 Speaker 1: the Lord God created you to know him intimately, to 54 00:04:15,840 --> 00:04:19,680 Speaker 1: praise him to bring him glory. How we do that 55 00:04:20,120 --> 00:04:22,960 Speaker 1: is going to look different for everyone. Because God created 56 00:04:23,000 --> 00:04:26,480 Speaker 1: us with unique talents and attributes. Our life stages will 57 00:04:26,520 --> 00:04:30,800 Speaker 1: determine how they manifest differently. Still, we don't have to 58 00:04:30,839 --> 00:04:34,880 Speaker 1: wonder about our purpose. We can be confident that God 59 00:04:35,000 --> 00:04:39,200 Speaker 1: intentionally created us and he wants us to know him 60 00:04:39,720 --> 00:04:46,000 Speaker 1: and make him known. Let's pray Heavenly Father, Thank you 61 00:04:46,080 --> 00:04:49,000 Speaker 1: for creating us. You didn't have to make man and 62 00:04:49,040 --> 00:04:52,279 Speaker 1: woman in your image, yet you chose to invite us 63 00:04:52,320 --> 00:04:56,360 Speaker 1: into a relationship with you. Thank you for loving us 64 00:04:56,760 --> 00:04:59,840 Speaker 1: even when we fall short. We know that your love 65 00:05:00,480 --> 00:05:04,760 Speaker 1: is never ending. Now, how grateful we are that your 66 00:05:04,800 --> 00:05:09,320 Speaker 1: love is not conditional on our words and actions. Forgive 67 00:05:09,400 --> 00:05:12,400 Speaker 1: us when we choose our own way or rebel against 68 00:05:12,480 --> 00:05:16,160 Speaker 1: your commands, and help us to not get distracted by 69 00:05:16,160 --> 00:05:19,800 Speaker 1: what the world says is our purpose or identity. Please 70 00:05:19,880 --> 00:05:23,159 Speaker 1: keep our hearts and minds firmly rooted in your truth 71 00:05:23,560 --> 00:05:26,560 Speaker 1: and guide our steps so that our lives will be 72 00:05:26,600 --> 00:05:31,159 Speaker 1: a living testimony to your goodness. Lord. In this season, 73 00:05:31,680 --> 00:05:35,080 Speaker 1: as we use our unique gifts and talents, please show 74 00:05:35,160 --> 00:05:37,280 Speaker 1: us how you would like us to live out our 75 00:05:37,279 --> 00:05:43,200 Speaker 1: purpose of knowing you and making you known. We love you, Lord, 76 00:05:43,520 --> 00:05:47,039 Speaker 1: and we're eternally grateful for the gift of life, both 77 00:05:47,120 --> 00:06:04,080 Speaker 1: honors and eternal. In Jesus' name, Amen, Your Daily Prayer 78 00:06:04,240 --> 00:06:07,600 Speaker 1: is a production of Life Audio and Salem media. If 79 00:06:07,600 --> 00:06:10,200 Speaker 1: you haven't already, be sure to follow the show in 80 00:06:10,279 --> 00:06:14,360 Speaker 1: your favorite podcast app so you never miss an episode. 81 00:06:14,400 --> 00:06:19,360 Speaker 1: For more faith filled, inspirational podcasts. Visit us at lifeaudio 82 00:06:19,800 --> 00:06:26,560 Speaker 1: dot com.