Appearing in over 100 films in his four-decade career, George Sanders (1906-1972) was a true Hollywood star. In 1951, he won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor in the movie All About Eve. He seemed to have it all, both fame and fortune. He should have been a happy man, but he wasn’t. On April 23, 1972, Sanders committed suicide in a hotel near Barcelona, Spain. Left behind a note. It read:
Dear world, I am leaving because I am bored. I have lived long enough. I am leaving you and your worries in this sweet cesspool. Good luck!
How can a man with so much have so little? According to the world, Sanders had everything you needed to be happy. He did have everything he needed to be happy, but he was ignorant of his divine purpose. There is more to life than collecting and buying things. There is more to life than partying. Everyone must be able to answer the question: why are you here? God doesn’t call us to be consumers. God calls us to make a difference in this world. That leads us to our reading.
According to the Revised Common Lectionary, this Sunday is the Second Sunday in Lent. The Old Testament reading is Genesis 12:1-4, the calling of Abram. It is not our first introduction to Abram, later Abraham. He was mentioned in the previous chapter. According to chapter eleven, Abram’s father was named Terah. The entire family lived in Haran, until Terah’s death at the age of 205. The death of a loved one is always hard, and many make major changes during a time of loss. That is what happened to Abram.
The twelfth chapter begins with Abram making a major change in his life. However, Abram does not initiate the changes. It is God, who initiated the change. At seventy-five years old, God instructs Abram to move to a new land. The name of the land is not identified, but it will be the home of Abram’s future descendants. Abram’s relocation is a large part of his divine purpose. Names are important in the Bible. Abram means “exalted father.” Abraham means “the father of the multitude.” Abram’s descendants include Jesus. That means, Abram is our spiritual ancestor too. I love this story because Abram started the greatest challenge of his life as a senior citizen.
In 2002, pastor of the Saddleback Church in California Rick Warren (born 1954) released a book called “The Purpose Driven Life.” The book was extremely popular. More than 50 million copies were sold in 85 countries. It was popular for an obvious reason. Everyone wanted to know their divine purpose. In other words, everyone wants to know why God put them in the world. No one just wants to be a consumer. Everyone wants to make a difference. Abram’s divine purpose was to be the father of a new nation.
Today, many are unsure of their divine purpose. Research tells us only 38% of all Christians know their divine purpose. Abram did three things to clarify his purpose. We need to do these three things too to clarify our purpose as well.
First, Abram trusted God. Prior to our reading, the scripture says Abram had a good life. He was prosperous and stable in Haran. There is no sign Abram was interested in leaving and had every reason to stay. It was God who initiated the move. This is the key line – there is no sign Abram questioned God. He trusted God and was open to God’s leading. Moving to a new land made no logical sense, but Abram did it because he trusted God. God has a plan for your life too. How far do you trust God?
Second, Abram trusted the people in his life. Abram didn’t travel alone. The scripture tells us he took with him his wife Sarai and nephew Lot. He took his possessions and the people he had acquired in Haran. That includes both employees and slaves. This is the point. When Abram accepted God’s call, it didn’t just affect his life, it affected many lives, including the people who stayed behind. If Abram was going to maximize his purpose, then he had to trust the people in his life too. How far do you trust the people in your life?
Third, Abraham trusted himself. God calls Abram to move to a new land to start a new race. Abraham goes because he trusts God and Abram goes because he trusts the people in his life. Abram goes because Abraham believes in himself. There is no sign in the scripture Abraham doubted himself. Abram believed in Abram. According to NBC News, 85% of people have low esteem. Are you in that group? Do you believe in yourself?
If you want to discover your divine purpose, then you must trust God, the people in your life and yourself. Never dismiss the value of knowing your divine purpose. It is essential to your well-being, acting as a compass that drives motivation, resilience and mental health while contributing to longer happier lives. Your purpose is not necessarily your vocation. However, your vocation may pay for your purpose. Your divine purpose stands at the intersection where your personal interests meet human need. What is that one thing you enjoy doing that benefits someone else? That is your divine purpose. I am convinced there are as many purposes as there are individuals. People who don’t know their divine purpose live shallow lives.
What is your purpose? Abraham’s purpose was to be the father of new nation. What is your purpose? Helen Keller (1880-1968) was an American author, political activist, and lecturer. She was also the first blind-deaf person to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree. In 1904, she received that degree from Radcliffe College. Keller once said, “True happiness is not attained through self-gratification, but through fidelity to a worthy purpose.” Never forget, you are a disciple of Jesus Christ, and he expects you to make a difference. What is he calling you to do?
Russ Adams 