When all the people heard this, and the tax collectors too, they declared God just, having been baptized with the baptism of John, but the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected the purpose of God for themselves, not having been baptized by him. (Luke 7:29-30)
While we live nearly 2,000 years after the events documented by Luke, these two verses ought to make us pause and reflect today.
“The purpose of God” – My Creator has revealed his “purpose” for my life. As my Creator, he has every right to define my purpose and express his expectation that I would submit accordingly. As the created, I exist to glorify the Creator.
“All the people…tax collectors…Pharisees and the lawyers” – the religious, irreligious, educated, and uneducated are accountable to the Sovereign Lord of the universe. There is news that all need to hear, the news I need to be reminded of today.
“Rejected” – The Creator has created me with the ability to choose my course of action in relation to his revealed purpose. The fundamental choice lies before me today: will I humbly acknowledge and obediently respond to the expressed will of my Creator or will I reject the purpose of God for myself?
Real-life men and women have been accepting and rejecting the purpose of God for millennia. As the sun rises today, the same fundamental choice lies before me: accept or reject?
So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. (1 Cor 10:31)
That is the purpose of God for me. That is the purpose of God for you. Accept or reject? That is the choice we will make today.
