An Intentional Life

If you were to assess your life right now would the word intentional come to mind? How about purposeful? Or does haphazard apply? Or even drifting, carried along day in and day out like a leaf in the wind or a piece of driftwood in the ocean or does a tumbleweed in the desert best depict your life? 

Several years ago Covey wrote a best seller called Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. The premise being if you applied these seven habits you too could be highly effective in your life.  There is another book that was written two thousand years ago that contains everything you will ever need to know about living an intentional life, a life that has purpose, a life that has true meaning, a life that counts for something. The Author of the book knows a thing or two about living intentionally, purposefully, because He is the author, the Creator of all things, He gives life, and knowing Him and living your life according to Him results in abundant living. The book of course is the Bible.

There is a plan, a purpose for everyone who has ever lived.  That includes you! Jeremiah 29:11-12 says; "For I know the plans that I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you."  The prophet Jeremiah lived an intentional life, God's plan for Jeremiah was to be a prophet to God's people Israel. "Now the word of the LORD came to me saying, Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, And before you were born I consecrated you; I have appointed you a prophet to the nations." Jeremiah 1:4-5

God created you, gave you life, numbered your days (Psalm 139:16) and He has a plan for you that is like no other. That is why there is only one of you, you are unique and special to God.

Jesus came to earth by the will of God and though Jesus is God, He came to die in our place for the sins of the whole world so that all who believe would never perish but have everlasting life.  Shortly before the cross Jesus prayed for His disciples and for everyone who ever would believe in His name through out time. Listen to the statement Jesus makes to His heavenly Father; "I glorified You on the earth, having accomplished the work which You have given Me to do." John 17:4. On the cross Jesus words say it all; "He said, It is finished! And He bowed His head and gave up His spirit." John 19:30. Jesus Christ is the epitome of a life lived intentionally! Note; when we live our life according to the will of God and the plan He has for us, we too can bring glory to God!  

God created you and gave you talents and abilities that fit what He has called you to do. We are provided examples of this in the book of Exodus.  "You shall speak to all the skillful persons whom I have endowed with the spirit of wisdom that they may make..." Exodus 28:3.  "I have filled him with the Spirit of God in wisdom, in understanding, in knowledge, and in all kinds of craftsmanship. And in the hearts of all who are skillful I have put skill." Exodus 31:3,6

God is sovereign over all things that includes your life and mine, we see examples of that in Exodus 35:21 "Everyone whose, heart stirred him and everyone whose spirit moved him came and brought the LORD's contribution." God directs us and places within our hearts the desire to do a certain thing, He has a plan and a purpose for you and that purpose will never change. 

So if you have been living your life like driftwood or a leaf or a tumbleweed, don't despair go to the Lord and talk to Him, seek Him and you will find Him and He will pour out His love to you and reveal Himself to you.  And He will stir within your heart the purpose He has for you, and He will enable you to do it.