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Walking to the Promised Land

  1. Wilderness Walking: Trust, Delight, Commit
    2 Digging Deeper
  2. The Blessed Life Ever: Walk in the Ways of the Lord
    2 Digging Deeper
  3. Flawless Footsteps: Walk as Christ Walked
    2 Digging Deeper
  4. The View From Down Here: Walk Humbly
    2 Digging Deeper
  5. Watch Where You Step: Walk Carefully
    2 Digging Deeper
  6. Keep on Keeping on: Walk by Faith
    2 Digging Deeper
  7. Stay out of the Shadows: Walk in the Light
    2 Digging Deeper
  8. Follow Your Guide: Walk by the Spirit
    2 Digging Deeper
  9. Walk Tall: Walk Uprightly
    2 Digging Deeper
  10. Choose Wisely: Walk with Wise Men
    2 Digging Deeper
  11. Love, That's All: Walk in Love
    2 Digging Deeper
  12. When No One's Looking: Walk in Integrity
    2 Digging Deeper
  13. Be Good Do Good: Walk in Good Works
    3 Digging Deeper
  14. Leave Your Past Behind: Walk in Newness of Life
    2 Digging Deeper
  15. Remember Who You Are: Walk Worthy
    2 Digging Deeper
  16. Walk with the Father: Walk with God
    6 Digging Deeper

In the movie, The Empire Strikes Back, there is a scene where Luke has landed in the dark, ominous swamp world known as Dagoba, in order to train with the Jedi Master, Yoda. As Luke is looking around considering the strange environment–definitely not a place he expects to find a great warrior–Yoda appears and challenges Luke with this question:
“I am wondering…why are you here?”

I’ll be honest. There are times when I think I hear Yoda in my head asking me the same question: “Why are you here?” Not in a weird I-think-I’m-a-Jedi-in-swamp-seeking-training kind of way, but in a very real what-should-I-be-doing-with-my-life kind of way.

I can actually give you the Biblical answer. That’s what makes this even harder. I know the answer. I understand that I have been created to live a life of good works for the purpose of bringing glory and honor to God. I understand that my duty, my all, should be to fear God and keep His commandments. I understand that while I am in this world I have been given the responsibility to take the message of the Gospel to the world, to serve others, and to edify and encourage my brothers and sisters in Christ.

If I know those answers, if I can even tell you where to find them in Scripture, why then do I continue to hear Yoda’s question in the back of my mind: “Why are you here?”

Maybe, it’s because knowing my purpose and living it are two different things. Maybe, I need to consider the answer to the question, “Why are you here?” in a more direct and practical way. I think there’s an important lesson that can be learned from the answer Luke gave to Yoda:
“I’m looking for someone.”

Luke knew his purpose for being in the swamp. He knew that Dagoba was the place where he would receive his training. But, his answer to the question, “Why are you here?” was not, “I am here to receive training from a Jedi Master named Yoda.” His answer was simply, “I’m looking for someone.”

What if we, as Christians, accomplished our purpose everyday by answering the question “Why are you here?” with the answer, “I’m looking for someone.”

And what if God is our “someone”.

What if we spend each day looking for God in our actions, in our words, in our thoughts.
What if when we wake up in the morning we really prayerfully consider the question “Where can I find God today?”

The first thing that will happen (if we’re looking with all of our hearts) is we’ll find Him. The Bible tells us that’s true in Jeremiah 29:13.

The second thing that will happen, is that we’ll find Him in doing the very things that help us fulfill our purpose: serving, strengthening, caring, helping, teaching, praising, encouraging, and forgiving. Looking for God will take you to places where the sick need healing, the depressed need lifting, the lost need saving, the hungry need feeding, and the hurt need comforting. Looking for God calls on you to go where He would go, and to do what He would do, and to love who He would love. Looking for God is how we will find our purpose.

When we look for God in our daily lives, we will begin to understand more and more who we are and how we should live.

So, from now on, when I hear the question, “Why are you here?” I’m going to answer with confidence and joy, “I’m looking for God!”