“Jesus replied, ‘”You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.” This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.’” Matthew 22:37-40 (NLT)
With a firm foundation in scripture and our values derived from it, we can best address our purpose, which has been given to us by God. Our purpose is to love; to love the Lord with all of our hearts, minds, and souls, and to love our neighbor as ourselves. This is clearly our given purpose. Our mission derives directly from this command and our mission is the how to the purpose’s why. We are to show this love by making disciples of all nations, baptizing them, and to teach these new disciples the commands of God (Matthew 28: 18-20). Our purpose and mission will never change, but the strategies we use to fulfill them may adapt with time.
Prayer: Lord, you have given us a clear purpose and mission for our lives. Help me to always love you first above all other things and to be mindful of how I treat those around me. Let me shine your light in the world and draw in those who are seeking you, and find and fulfill my place in the mission you have given us. Amen.