A GOAL AND A PURPOSE

A Goal and a Purpose

My only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me.

Acts 20:24

READ ACTS 20:17–24

In 2018, endurance athlete Colin O’Brady took a walk that had never been taken before. Pulling a supply sled behind him, O’Brady trekked across Antarctica entirely alone—a total of 932 miles in 54 days. It was a momentous journey of dedication and courage.

Commenting on his time alone with the ice, the cold, and the daunting distance, O’Brady said, “I was locked in a deep flow state [fully immersed in the endeavor] the entire time, equally focused on the end goal, while allowing my mind to recount the profound lessons of this journey.”

For those of us who have put our faith in Jesus, that statement might strike a familiar chord. It sounds a lot like our calling as believers: focused on the goal of walking through life in a way that glorifies (honors) God and reveals Him to others. In Acts 20:24, Paul, no stranger to dangerous journeys, said, “I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.”

As we walk on in our relationship with Jesus, may we recognize what we know about the purpose for our journey and press on to the day we’ll see our Savior face to face.

By Dave Branon

REFLECT & PRAY

Dear heavenly Father, as we walk through life, help us to honor You in all we do. And may we encourage others to journey with You.

How does your relationship with Jesus affect your walk in life? What can you do today to reveal to others your love for Him?

SCRIPTURE INSIGHT

Ephesus was the Roman capital of western Asia Minor (modern Turkey) and home of the temple to the goddess Artemis—a temple that’s listed as one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Artemis was considered the fertility goddess and was honored in an annual festival called the Artemisia, celebrated in the month of the Artemision (March-April). The festival involved athletic competitions and theatrical events and was also a popular time for men and women to choose their marriage partners. As a result, this event attracted a large crowd of visitors. Paul’s gospel ministry saw people abandoning the worship of Artemis to follow Jesus—resulting in the riot described in Acts 19:23-41. Bill Crowde