What Greater Purpose is There in Life?

What greater purpose is there in life than to sit at the feet of Jesus and worship him? To behold the beauty of in his throne room, in his presence, and to be loved by him for all of eternity. This is the eternal drive, and our eternal purpose- to behold the beauty of Jesus and who he is. To dwell in his presence.

When I was at Awakening Teen Camp, there was this girl on my worship team named Liv. She was one of the 20ish people who was with the Worship and Prayer Intensive group (a seven week summer program for young musicians) and she's a bassist. After one of our smaller seminars, a prayer meeting broke out, and the Lord lead me to pray with her as she prayed with two other girls. When I joined her in prayer, I can't even say exactly what it was, but all that comes to my mind is the anointing, holiness and consecration of God was on her. I felt like I recognized it, almost, and I asked God in my heart "What is that?" Everytime I saw her it was like the anointing of Jesus was on her. After leaving camp, I was texting her and asked if she would share her testimony with me, and I want to share it with others.

"I've lived here [Kansas City] all my life and I have been at IHOP before it even started. I have always loved the Lord. When I was really young, there was this kid that was really mean to me and I'd see him every day. My wise mother told me to pray for him and that's what I did. I spent long hours before the feet of Jesus talking to Him and listening to Him. He became my best friend. I spent a lot of time alone with Him because I didn't have very many friends because I was home-schooled and you can only stand to be with your annoying brothers so much and I'd only see my friends at church on Sundays. So as I grew older, this kid that was mean to me only got worse, But I continued to pray. I prayed for him for ten years before I saw breakthrough. One day I saw him and he was a completely new person. He was so on fire with the love of the Lord, he was so full of light, and he was so sorry for the way he treated me. So that's how my prayer life started. My relationship with Jesus really took on a new depth when my best friend died when I was 14. I ran straight into the arms of Christ. He was my comforter and my stronghold. He was so real and near me during that year and the year after when my dear cousin died. When my friend died, a lot of my other friends turned away from God and I lost touch with them, so I'd spend my time with the Holy Spirit. I've always loved to worship. I don't remember a day when we couldn't worship. Before I could play bass my mom would have us dance and worship to music. When I was about 10 I picked up the bass and loved it ever since. I am a lovesick worshipper of Jesus and I long for his return. He is my Beloved and my Friend. I am living for eternity. He is always on my mind and it's not okay that he's not here. I want him to come back so badly. If he doesn't fill me up every day I'd die. He is the lover of my soul. He is so real to me and I'll give my life up for him. I'll do whatever he wants me to do because I love him so. Life is pointless is he's not at the center...."

After I read this for the second time, I found myself with tears streaming down my face and on my knees asking God for a deeper love for him and just crying out for his presence to fill me.

What other point of life is there than to pursue a love so deep every single day and to reach out to others? How can such a burning love for Jesus become so cold in the time we live in now? How can our love grow cold when it's so readily available for us to receive when we just open up our hearts to him on a daily basis?

The truth of the matter is that it does.

 Some may say "That's too extreme! That's too violent! That's crazy! That's weird!" But have you truly encountered a supernatural love that took your entire past mistakes, failures and screwups and made you a new person? Have you encountered the sincere love of Jesus in his presence through the holy spirit? How real is it to you, and how real could it become?

I want his love to be more real to me than the very ground I stand on!

We so often spend our time worrying and concerned about tomorrow and what our circumstances are and our jobs and school and work and by the end of the day we've pushed the Lord down to the last thing on our list! I'm guilty of it myself, and I'm ready to stop! I'm ready to lay the lesser things aside. I'm 16 and there's so much I could occupy my time with, but I'm done with being like everyone else. I'm ready to lay aside extra-cirricular activities, my electronics, my materials, and entertainment in order to be face to face with the one, true living God, because it's the only thing that matters in the end and it matters today and now in this very hour.

To be fascinated the beauty of the living God and his holiness and love is the greatest pleasure there is now and in the age to come. It's our primary purpose. I will not lose hold of it this year, and I won't lose hold of it again.

It's time to take on a new challenge. So that in the famines of God's presence, in the floods of persecution, and in the comfort of the culture, his love is still real to me.