There’s a TV show out there that I’ve heard a lot about. I’m not going to mention it by name because, why? It’s just like every other show of its kind and I have a point beyond the particulars. Anyway, I thought I’d check it out and am glad I did, but not for the obvious reasons. I didn’t like the actual show, but it showed me a tragedy that bears remembering: The world is godless and ever functions in darkness.
As I watched this show, all I could think was godless. It was like a bell going off. I don’t speak this in judgment, as if I am about to crusade against the world. The world will always be worldly – there’s no wonder in this. Christ didn’t fight the world and neither will I. But for some reason, I needed to see this.
Who is godless?
I always think that people are who they purport to be. If you’re smiling and present a managed life, isn’t that who you are? I think I look at people as if they were all in a relationship with God. But what I’ve found instead is that most of the people we encounter live as though there is no God. Their days are filled with activity, happenings and circumstances, but God is not acknowledged or addressed. Sure, I too can roll into form and function without Purpose any day. I can step out, motivated by getting things done and forget Why they’re being done. Just let me lead out in self or flesh and this will be the result. But what if this was my every day?
This world celebrates living without a second glance in God’s direction. Usually crisis is the only thing that gets the attention. And as I watched this show, I saw a celebration of everything common while calling it purpose. Oddly, what was presented was darkness with no Light, as if darkness was enlightenment. I guess this shouldn’t shock me, but when it’s depicted onscreen, it just makes it that much more evident. Watching something transpire can make things much more vivid than just thinking about them. What did I see? Millions and millions prefer darkness to Light and live thinking their purposeless existence has meaning.
The godless have no purpose
This plays right into the hands of the enemy. If I’m led by living rather than Purpose, then I am only a little better than the beasts. Purpose is what sets us apart from all the other creatures on this earth. When I live without Purpose, I’m on my way to living like an animal. Go inside any chicken house and you’ll see existence with lots of activity but no individual purpose. The peeps move as a mass and they produce food for me, but living with purpose? Nope. Old “Hen-rietta” is just a dumb chicken.
But these, like irrational animals, creatures of instinct, born to be caught and destroyed, blaspheming about matters of which they are ignorant, will also be destroyed in their destruction…
2 Peter 2:12 ESV
If I live with no purpose or vision [no redemptive revelation of God], I’ll spiral down until I’m living in the delusion of feverish activity masking itself as meaning.
“We must have meaning. We exist for a purpose. We do not live unless we have something to live for.”
(Martha Kilpatrick, “Time is for Purpose”)
Look carefully then how you walk! Live purposefully and worthily and accurately, not as the unwise and witless, but as wise (sensible, intelligent people).
Ephesians 5:15 AMP
So much to enjoy in this webpage, and yet, enjoyment is not the reason I came to look and see. A friend bought me a new (used) copy of Oswald Chambers, ‘My Utmost for His Highest’. It was a surprise to me that the book was used, it was in such good, good, condition. Inside I found a card that has this web address and ShulamitePodcast as well. Now Here I am reading and seeing the transparent life of you and the others that minister here. The Godless are our purpose, and we have the lovely burden and gift, to… Read more »
John, I know you like old movies, reading the paragraph about the chickens brought to my remembrance the song “Pick A Little Talk A Little” from The Music Man. So much chatter, so much motion – to what end?
There is so much weight and wisdom in this post that I have read it thrice already and will come back to it again. Your quote from 2 Peter 2 sent me to The Word to read the context; oh my! It is also quite significant of this blog, that other readers’ comments reveal their closeness to The Trinity. I am so thankful for the Shulamite Ministry that brings me fresh manna each morning.
Ah, thank you John. You know what the Lord bought yesterday? Fruit. He is desperately looking for fruit. This earth (and even the Universe) operates on the basis of fruit. At the beginning, God asked for fruit, blessing everything with His word. “Fruit, fruit, fruit.” We were created for that (that’s the Purpose of Creation!), and the Spirit is asking for fruit. That’s why the Son revealed as the “Vine” (and we the branches). That’s why He so sternly advised to “bear fruit” or “be cut off”. That’s why he prayed a curse over the Fig Tree. It is so… Read more »
Sam, this is a good message. I had not focused on God’s desire for fruit. Thanks for sharing.
The amazing wonder of fruit… There is a mystery here which is quite amazing. There are several texts that now come to mind: 1) Jesus eating fish at the shore, waiting for the disciples. 2) The woman in John’s vision, delivering a male child amidst great painbirths. 3) Jesus calling His disciples: “mother”, “brother”, “sister”. We can only bear fruit in Him… but He wants to “eat”! Don’t you see a kind of “reciprocal” bearing of fruit? A “mother” bears fruit. A “woman pregnant” bears fruit. A “fish” is food for Another (to eat). FRUIT for the Father… and also… Read more »
Yes, fruit is the result of union, of love. So beautiful His plans and His processes.
In my “old woman” so guilty of “Living with no purpose or vision ( no redemptive revelation Of GOD ), that
I spiraled down into living in delusion of “feverish activity masking itself as meaning.” but Praise God HE has
brought me out of darkness into the light of HIS SON……..because of HIS servant Martha ‘s teaching and prayers.