Fully Devoted: The FallSample

A Distorted Relationship With Work God’s greatest work in the creation story is the human beings made in His image—creatures with dignity, value, and purpose. But when we rebelled against God, we turned our back on our purpose. Since then, people have wrestled with questions like: Does my life matter? What is my purpose? What difference am I supposed to make? Before sin entered the picture, those answers were loud and clear from the God who formed us from the dust of the earth and breathed His Spirit into us. But sin has blinded us to the image of God in ourselves and the work we were created for. We’ve lost sight of who we really are and what we’re supposed to do. In the Fall, we lost our purpose . And life without purpose is life without meaning. So many people today believe that life is meaningless, and that their lives don’t matter. While these lies may have taken hold of you at some point, you must always remember that the blood of Jesus speaks a better word. This is why the gospel is good news! Through Jesus, a way has been made for us to be forgiven of our sins and restored to our purpose as partners with God! Through Jesus, we’ve been filled with God’s Spirit and empowered to live in alignment with His will—which is always good, true, and life-giving. One of the consequences of the Fall was the loss of purpose, but the promise of the gospel is a renewed purpose. As people who have committed ourselves to the way of Jesus, we get to be a part of the greatest purpose imaginable: Partnering with King Jesus in bringing heaven to earth. There was a time when everything was good . Heaven and earth were one. God and humanity were united. Shame was nonexistent. Shalom —God’s peace—was present. And the promise of the gospel is that there will come a day when those former things are true again. God will make all things new . Until that day, we must fulfil our parts in His purpose well. Let’s look at those questions about our purpose again. Does my life matter? Yes! You were created in the image of God. This means that God looks at you and calls you “ very good. ” What is my purpose? You were created by the God of heaven and earth to partner with Him in His redemptive plan to rescue others from sin and restore creation. What difference am I supposed to make? You are empowered by God’s Spirit to bring forgiveness and redemption to this fallen, rebellious world. This means, wherever you go, you get to bring hope and healing to those who are hurting. Live in the purpose you’ve been given so that no matter what you do or where you go, you are serving people, solving problems, and glorifying God in the process. Clearly, in the light of the gospel, those questions that once plagued us now serve as reminders of who we really are. Journaling Questions * Write down the verse that impacted you the most from today’s reading. Why did you choose that particular verse? * Does my life matter? Answer in your own words. * What is my purpose? Answer in your own words. Memory Verse > For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23 NIV