The Purpose of Our Creation. Thursday, May 15. 2014.

In grade school,

I despised memorizing the Baltimore Catechism year after year.

However, 
I now see the fruits of it,                                                                                     

seeing as I can spout of the first few questions and answers without even flinching. 

The fact that these questions are well-ingrained into my long-term memory

has given me the opportunity to truly think about what I memorized

and determine what it is actually saying. 

Through much contemplation,

I decided at a young age that the answer to the question:

‘Why were we created?’

was a very boring one.

The Baltimore Catechism proudly states that we were created

to know God,

to love God,

and to serve God.

In grade school,

that did not seem to be a very fun answer.

At that age,

my purpose of existence was to color pretty pictures

and play with friends.

As I got older though,

I started to look at this answer in a different light.

I realized that in order to understand this answer,

I had to look at the answer itself-
as a process.

We have such a negative understanding of serving.

I think that Christian churches are doing a great job of seeing service in a positive light.

However, I think that often we still link serving and service to slavery.

To serve means to give up our own desires and wants.

It means giving up freedom.

It means being self-less and humble.

Generally,

we are not okay with being a servant to just anyone.

Sure, we might be of service once to a stranger

but constant,

unfailing,

humble,

perfect service

is typically reserved for someone that we love.

When we truly love someone,

we are willing to do the impossible to please them,

to serve them.

Our service to them stems from love.

Not be because we have to.

We aren’t forced to.

We choose to.

Because we love them.

So too with God.

If we do not love Him,

then serving Him is a useless

and inconvenient chore.

But I don’t truly and wholeheartedly love someone unless I know them.

Not I just met them so I know them

but really truly know them inside and out.

Truly knowing someone,

quirks,

flaws,

and all.

This leads to loving that person.

Which in turn leads to service.

It is a ladder process.

It is through knowing that we may begin to love.

It is through loving that we may begin to serve.

I won’t serve God if I don’t love Him

but I cannot begin to love Him if I do not know Him.

If you have trouble with loving or serving Him,

get to know Him.

Service is useless if you cannot stand behind your Master.

Love cannot truly be love if you do not know Him.   

Get to know Him.

Ask hard questions.

Seek truth.

But be prepared,

you might just fall in love with Him,

and you might just desire to serve Him.

And you might be able to tell your 5-year old self that

maybe, just maybe,

there is more to life than coloring pretty pictures

and maybe that reason for our creation isn’t so bad after all,

actually,

it’s pretty amazing.