Why me?

it happens to all of us at some point, we wonder why am I here? What is my purpose? What does Adonai want me to do? These are not only normal questions they are good questions we should ask these questions. We have been made for a purpose. Paul often times wrote about our purpose.

In He writes:

12 So that, my beloved, as you always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much rather in my absence—work out your own deliverance with fear and trembling,

13 for it is Elohim who is working in you both to desire and to work for His good pleasure.

And in Paul lays out plainly his thoughts on our purpose while he writes to Timothy from prison. He writes to encourage Timothy and remind him of his purpose as a teacher. What he writes in verses 8&9 are also applicable to us:

8 So do not be ashamed of the witness of our Master, nor of me His prisoner, but suffer hardship with me for the Good News according to the power of Elohim,

9 who has saved us and called us with a set-apart calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and favour which was given to us in Messiah יהושׁע before times of old,

We all have a purpose. I think many of us would say we already know this. In fact it is my opinion that if we could poll all of humanity that even those that deny any kind of belief in Adonai would even say they have a purpose. So this idea of having a purpose is not a new concept for us. What we would all probably agree on is it is not always obvious and it may not be according to our own works and will, but it is according to Adonai’s will and purpose.

I want us to establish the very general purpose that Adonai has given us. The scriptures are full of descriptions of Adonai speaking to the children of Israel. He speak to them with different voices and in different temperaments. In the book of Micah we have Adonai warning the children of Israel. Some would say Adonai is angry I read it and I also see frustration. How do you feel when your father is frustrated? How do you feel when you are the cause of his frustration?

I want to present from the idea that we know we have a purpose, it just seems it is not what we want our purpose to be. This idea can be presented many ways. I am going to present it as 3 questions. Why am I not where or when I want to be? Why am I not doing what I want to do? Why am I not who I want to be? As we look at this we are going to assume that this is not out of selfishness. An example we are not going to analyze why am I not rich and powerful, but why am I not a prophet or why am I not the high priest? In other words we are going to assume the question has noble or good intentions.

So to start why do we not live in Israel? Why are we outside the promised land?

In Micah we see many prophetic concepts. The first 4 chapters really list many of the things that the people have failed to do. Then in Chapter 5 Adonai warns them of what is going to happen. Then in Chapter 6 Adonai tells them why. When I read this it is less of a here are the specific charges and more of a “This is how you hurt me”.

Holy Scriptures: Tree of Life Version Chapter 6

1Hear what ADONAI is saying:

“Arise! Contend with the mountains,

and let the hills hear your voice.

2Hear, ADONAI’s dispute, O mountains—

the enduring foundations of the earth.

For ADONAI has a dispute with His people

and He will argue His case with Israel.

3O My people, what have I done to you?

Or how have I wearied you? Answer Me!

4When I brought you up from

the land of Egypt,

and redeemed you from

the house of bondage,

I sent before you Moses,

Aaron, and Miriam.

5O My people, remember, please:

What did Balak, king of Moab, propose?

What did Balaam son of Beor answer him?

From Shittim as far as Gilgal,

so that you might acknowledge

the righteous acts of ADONAI.”

When I read this it sounds like a father pouring his heart out to his child. He start with reminding them of who is to them. He then reminds them of what Balak and Balaam did to bring a plague on the people. They enticed Israel to SIN but more than that move away from their father’s purpose for them and thus away from him.

If jump down to verse 8 we have the purpose for us as a people laid out very plainly.

Holy Scriptures: Tree of Life Version Chapter 6

8He has told you, humanity, what is good,

and what ADONAI is seeking from you:

Only to practice justice, to love mercy,

and to walk humbly with your God.

This is our purpose. We each apply this to our lives in specific ways for our experience and place in Adonai’s creation. If we do apply this correctly we elevate the physical to reach the spiritual. Though it sounds easy for us to be able to apply this we will have to look foolish to the world, but we will be precious to our creator. Finally if each of the God fearers in the world applied this in their lives we would be participating in the restoration of creation a concept called Tikkun Olam.

So what does it mean to only practice Justice? 3 little words and if everyone gave their thoughts they may all be different. I am going to use the examples set forth in the Torah. Let us first look at D’varim

The Scriptures Chapter 1

17 ‘Do not show partiality in right-ruling, hear the small as well as the great. Do not be afraid of anyone’s face, for the right-ruling belongs to Elohim. And the case which is too hard for you, bring it to me, and I shall hear it.’

Further in the book we also this is not only given to judges but this is a description that Adonai applies to himself D’varim

The Scriptures Chapter 10

17 “For יהוה your Elohim is Elohim of mighty ones and Master of masters, the great Ěl, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality nor takes a bribe.

18 “He executes right-ruling for the fatherless and the widow, and loves the stranger, giving him food and a garment.

So this is not just a description of judges but is also of our heavenly father. Of course when we look to see if this was applied to Yeshua we find similar things. In some people are sent to try and trap Yeshua but even they must describe him as just.

Complete Jewish Bible Chapter 20

21 They put to him this sh’eilah: “Rabbi, we know that you speak and teach straightforwardly, showing no partiality but really teaching what God’s way is.

So it is with judges and the father and the son to not show partiality but to do justice, are we sure it is so with us? In is very clear on the subject

The Scriptures Chapter 2

8 If you truly accomplish the sovereign law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbour as yourself,” you do well,

9 but if you show partiality, you commit sin, being found guilty by the Torah as transgressors.

We are to uphold justice and not show partiality and if we stopped at that, the world would be hard and cold. The father does not stop their either he coupled together the concepts of mercy and grace with it. What is the second thing the father would have us do after justice? To love mercy. Some versions may say grace or even kindness. We are to love kindness for others.

Kindness or true mercy and grace are what this world needs. This is not the letting someone get away with doing evil. This is giving them more than they earned less than they deserve and suffering with their own follies. Kindness is shown in the parent who comforts their child after they disciplined their child. Kindness is excusing the offense of one who has been unjust to you. Kindness is providing for the one who has squandered what they had. Kindness is purposefully acting for the betterment of another at your own expense with no guarantee of like treatment.

If we are to be like our heavenly father we must be kind. It is impossible to even be like him any other way for he describes himself as kind.In the middle of Sh’mot

The Scriptures Chapter 20

For I, יהוה your Elohim am a jealous Ěl, visiting the crookedness of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me,

6 but showing kindness to thousands, to those who love Me and guard My commands.

We see this perfect balance within our heavenly father of justice and kindness. Int he book of Mishlei or Proverbs another good example is given for us.

Complete Jewish Bible Chapter 3

3  Do not let grace and truth leave you—

bind them around your neck;

write them on the tablet of your heart.

4  Then you will win favor and esteem

in the sight of God and of people.

Holy Scriptures: Tree of Life Version Chapter 3

3Let kindness and truth never leave you—

bind them around your neck,

write them on the tablet of your heart.

4Then you will gain favor and a good name

in the eyes of God and man.

Keep kindness around your neck and write it on your heart! What else is in our heart? How about the indwelling of the Ru’ah Kodesh Holy Spirit and the Torah and Yeshua our Master? How important is this idea of kindness then?

Have you noticed these 2 requirements are about our fellow people? Did you consider to accomplish these 2 requirements we actually end up doing a great deal many more things. I dare say to accomplish these 2 requirements, justice and kindness, we must follow Torah as it tells us how be just and kind. So if we walk in righteousness or practice justice and if we love mercy and grace or love kindness where would we end up? We end up in front of the throne of grace. We end up before Adonai. This is the final requirement. To be humble before Adonai.

In the book of James we have a description of the expectation of behavior of the people of Elohim. As one reads in chapter 4 they encounter a very clear description of what to do and not to do. James quotes and we will read what James writes starting in verse 4 of chapter 4.

Complete Jewish Bible Chapter 4

4 You unfaithful wives! Don’t you know that loving the world is hating God? Whoever chooses to be the world’s friend makes himself God’s enemy! 5 Or do you suppose the Scripture speaks in vain when it says that there is a spirit in us which longs to envy? 6 But the grace he gives is greater, which is why it says,

“God opposes the arrogant,

but to the humble he gives grace.”

7 Therefore, submit to God. Moreover, take a stand against the Adversary, and he will flee from you. 8 Come close to God, and he will come close to you. Clean your hands, sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded people! 9 Wail, mourn, sob! Let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy into gloom! 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.

4 You unfaithful wives! Don’t you know that loving the world is hating God? Whoever chooses to be the world’s friend makes himself God’s enemy! 5 Or do you suppose the Scripture speaks in vain when it says that there is a spirit in us which longs to envy? 6 But the grace he gives is greater, which is why it says,

We can only be humble before Adonai. We can only be humble by moving away from the world and toward him. This means keeping his Torah and seeking his Spirit and living as his Messiah Yeshua. So what is our purpose as a people?

“God opposes the arrogant,

Only to practice justice, to love mercy,

but to the humble he gives grace.”

and to walk humbly with your God.

7 Therefore, submit to God. Moreover, take a stand against the Adversary, and he will flee from you. 8 Come close to God, and he will come close to you. Clean your hands, sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded people! 9 Wail, mourn, sob! Let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy into gloom! 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.

David H. Stern, Complete Jewish Bible: An English Version of the Tanakh (Old Testament) and B’rit Hadashah (New Testament), 1st ed. (Clarksville, MD: Jewish New Testament Publications, 1998), Jas 4:4–10.