Tuesday, December 20, 2016

Three Questions

There are three questions each one of us must answer.  

The questions are quite simple, but their answers will be profound for our lives and future.
  
They are these:  Why here? Why now? Why me?

Of all the questions that could be asked these three are essential.  Let's work on them together.


Why here?

Why, of all places on planet earth, were you born here?  Why is your "here" in this place?  Why weren't you born in Kenya, Nepal, Sydney?  Why here?  If you are self aware you realize that you are not here by accident.  You were placed in this spot on this planet to live out your life.  That knowing carries with it a responsibility- how will I live in the place I've been put?  How will I live out who I am in the place I was born?  My location is not an accident,  I've been put here on purpose to be part of God's great plan in time and history. In this place I have a role, a job, a part.  So, why am I here?  That's the task given you, to discover why you are here instead of born in a slum in Calcutta or an apartment building in Moscow.  You are here on purpose.  What is your role in this place?

Why now?

Do you realize you could have been born in the middle of World War I?  Imagine the chaos of a world war and living in the middle of that fear and turmoil.  But you weren't.  You could have been born in the period called the "Dark Ages" in Europe when disease, fear and despair was the norm.  But you weren't.  You were born in this part of the 20th century.   It's a time of airplanes, computers, cars, air conditioning, electricity, memory foam mattresses and grocery stores!  You are blessed beyond any other time in history to be born and live now!  Now, in this time of an advanced civilization you have the great comfort of life without pain, days without boredom, travel without weariness and days without silence.  It's an amazing time in the history of the world. So why were you born now?  Why in this time?  Why did you show up in this period of history, the most comfortable time humanity has ever known.

Why me?

You might think that's a silly question, but take a moment.....why are you YOU?  It's the result of your heritage, your DNA, your upbringing and the answers to the first two questions.  "Why me" is all about why am I who I am?  How did that happen?  Like snowflakes we are each different in a million ways, unique, designed to be us.  So why are you YOU?  

All three of these questions speak of a design, a plan and a planner.  They address the core questions of humanity- why am I here?  At the heart of them all is God.  The only answers to satisfy these three questions come from knowing you are, 1. not here by accident, 2. that you are in this time for a purpose and, 3. that your life has design and meaning.  And, to be honest, you would get none of that without God.

Only in God and his plans, timing and design do any of these questions find answers.  In Psalm 139 David writes of that plan in God's design of every part of us.  It has been inspirational to centuries of readers and encouraging to many who, for whatever reason, ask, "Why am I here?  Why am I this way? Why did God 'do this to me?'"  

Only in God do we find our identity and purpose in this time. Without him "why here?", "why now?", "why me?" can never find the answers that satisfy the searching heart. But in him I find "here" is my assignment, "now" is my responsibility and "me" is the perfect vessel to carry out God's plans for my life.



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