A Model Of Destiny

Colossians 3:1-4

When Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory. (Colossians 3:4)

YOU WERE CREATED FOR GLORY. Somewhere deep in your soul you’ve known that, even if, like most people, you’ve buried the impulse beneath layers of disappointments and regrets. Even so, your original design is there, sometimes showing up in a desire to do something great and make your mark on this world. Imagining a glorious future is not arrogance or presumption; it’s truth. You were made in the image of your Creator, who is nothing short of amazing. The image of glory within you is destined to be revealed with his.

Your life will be shaped to a large degree by the destiny you envision. If you carry no vision or image of glory in your mind, your life will tend to look formless and void, just as creation did before the Creator spoke light and purpose into it. But if you know where you are headed, you will tend to step into that vision. You will live as a glorious creature united with a glorious Christ. You will grow into the truth of his ultimate purposes for you.

That not only has a profound influence on how you live; it also has a profound influence on how you treat others. They, too, have the astounding potential of sharing in the glory of Christ. That’s a life-changing message for a world that has embraced meaninglessness and a random existence. For people who have no idea what to do with their impulses of glory, you become a testimony of purpose. You have the power to speak purpose into formless lives around you. You become a messenger of hope and meaning.

That is a vital ministry—to your family, friends, fellow church members, coworkers, and everyone else around you. At times that ministry may be subtle and nuanced; at times it may be open and direct. In any case, it breathes life into the dead places of sleeping hearts, where the impulse for glory still lies. Live as a revelation of human destiny and speak it often.

{Spirit of God, may I live not according to my broken past, others’ perceptions, or unwise plans for the future, but according to the true destiny you have given me. Fill my vision—and help me fill others’—with the hope of glory. Amen.