Session 9

What is your purpose in life?

From Exodus: A 34-Day Devotional

How many times have you asked yourself, "What am I here for? What is my purpose in life?" There are hundreds, if not millions, of jobs in the world, but finding a purpose is not the same as finding a career.

In Exodus 9:16, God declares that He has a purpose for each of us, telling Pharaoh through Moses, "I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth."

God could have wiped Pharaoh and the nation of Egypt off the face of the earth in one breath. After all, this is the same God who spoke the world into existence. But He didn’t. From the beginning until now, God has been working through people to make Himself known on earth. God doesn’t have to work through us; He choses to.

God sent Moses as a messenger then followed Moses’ words with a series of plagues that could only be described as other worldly. The plague on the livestock, the boils that broke out on everyone, the hailstorms that destroyed crops and animals — these were the fifth, sixth and seventh warnings God sent to Pharaoh.

God went to great lengths to make Himself known to Pharaoh, to Egypt and to the Israelites who were enslaved there. And just like God was working through Moses, He wants to work through each of us to declare His glory and power on earth.

When we submit our lives to God’s plans, He works through us in ways we never thought possible. And as a result, God’s glory is declared in the most significant and mundane moments of our lives — when we forgive those deemed unforgivable, when we’re generous without expecting anything in return, when we do what’s right even if when it’s not easy. Every interaction in every day is an opportunity to show God’s power in our lives.  

Reflect:

• What’s one way God has gone to great lengths to make Himself known to you?
• Why do you think God didn’t simply wipe out Pharaoh and the Egyptian army?
• What’s one opportunity you have today to allow others to see God’s power and glory through your life?