Forgotten Purposes

A pastor working amongst the poorly educated, taught John, a hard working 30 year old man in his congregation, to read so he could study the Bible for himself. Shortly thereafter, the pastor was called away to a new church in the neighboring state. A few years later, the pastor returned for a breif visit and went to pay John a visit, expecting that be now he was well versed in teh Bible and becoming a leader in the church. John was not home, but his wife was. "How's John's reading of the Bible coming along?" asked the pastor. "Oh, he's become a voracious reader. He's long passed reading the Bible and now spends his time reading the newspaper and Sports Illustrated," replied the wife.

May of our nation's finest higher educational institutions began as seminaries helping to train men fo the ministry of the Gospel. Those purposes are long forgotten. Now if they teach the gospel, it is taught as literature and not as the very Word of God.

God calls us to a purpose - to love Him and love others as we serve Him. But we tend to lose sight or our purposes. God becomes an insturment to fulfill our goals, rather than we becoming an instrument to reach His. (SFH)