Accidents do not Happen.

Admittedly, I missed a day or two between the last post, BUT today I read Day 2: You are Not an Accident in P.D.L.

First of all, I don't think it was an accident that I didn't read between today and the last time I was reading this book. Why is that? Because a friend of mine sent me a message after my last post that I wasn't able to get around to reading until late last night. What he wrote helped something in my brain click and it made so much sense and brought so much joy and assurance to my heart I had to share it with you all!

“To begin, let me ask a question, Does God control everything? Beyond, rain or shine, beyond where or how the rain drops fall, I mean do you believe that can change a gene in your family’s lineage five generations back and that it would heal your aunt who has cancer? If you do believe this, and as you said in your blog that you don’t believe in coincidence, ponder the sycamore tree in the story of Zacchaeus - Luke 19:1-10 … (Understand what that I am going say next does not mean that I think trees are anything other than trees, there is nothing spiritual about them except for the Truth that God created them…. I don’t think people can become trees either… back to the point) What if the tree had not been there for Zacchaeus to climb on? Did the sycamore tree have a purpose? I believe the sycamore tree in the story had the lead supporting role… quite literally, the tree not only supported Zacchaeus, but it also elevated him to a place where he could see Jesus, but more than that, Jesus looked directly at him above the crowd, called him by name, and declared publicly that He was going to eat at his house. 
What if, we are the sycamore tree in the story? It’s a dumb place for a tree, right in the middle of the road, I am sure if tree’s could pray, that tree would pray, “God, why did you put me in the middle of road? I get hit by carts, leaves are ripped off constantly, I can barely provide shade for people as they pass by, and kids are climbing all over me all day long… And The shade I do provide doesn’t last, because I am in the middle of the street!”.... sounds like me sometimes… What if the Tree knew who Zaccheaus was, decided to break rather than let that filthy tax collector climb all over it…. Would Jesus have dined with Zacchaeus? Maybe the tree thought that its purpose was to provide shade, but what it really did is elevate a man so that he could see Jesus…. 

I am not trying change what is in the Bible, I am trying to make you think, and pray so that God begins to show you What He has for those who call themselves Christians. I by no means have attained anything that is note worthy or worth praise. I believe that God, being a Good Father wants us to succeed, and have all the stuff (look at Solomon, His Wealth is still marveled at to this day)… God is not a respecter of person’s position, wealth, anointing, talent, or ability, but he longs for our obedience…. So is “The Meaning of Life” obedience to God? I don’t know; I do know God is bigger, smarter, wiser, and more powerful than me. So simply because I recognize that He has authority over me, I heed His Voice. I know this is oversimplified, and it may create more questions than answers, This is where the Verb of Faith becomes mandatory in the fulfillment of “God’s Purpose” . The Greek Def. of Faith is –“The assurance of the Truthfulness of Christ, especially for Salvation”. And it says in James “ I will show you my Faith by my Works” If we believe that God can do all things, (we recognize that what The Bible says is True) even to the point of understanding that he directs which rain drop fall on our faces, then, the placement of a tree in the middle of a road in Jericho some 2000 years ago become believable, and if that is True, who action, “Step of Faith” can we make that elevates people so that they may see and Know the the face and voice of Jesus. 

This is What God has placed on my Heart after the Huge dreams, visions, and desires He has given me in the three and half some odd weeks sense I arrived in NC. I think, That what we as young people need to search for is Truth, more than purpose because purpose is so ambiguous; and ambiguity makes people go insane. With so many unknowns in everyday life, I don’t search for answers, I ask God to lead me. In doing so “I traded temporary happiness, for eternal joy”. I don’t have to “make it” to be satisfied, I don’t have to work on cars to be happy, But I do need Jesus to look at myself in the mirror every morning and see Victory. He paid the price I could not pay, won the battle I could not win, stood toe to toe with Anderson Silva and GSP at the same time, and won (The Two Best UFC Fighters ever). So I could choose to follow Him, or live for myself. God, Jesus, Gives us the Key to our own destiny, to ask the question, “what is my purpose” is to ask God, what is next. The journey is the Destination, the purpose is the journey. You cannot climb on a seedling tree, nor does one need a tree to be seen if they are tall…. “For such a Time as this, a sycamore tree” 

The Story of Esther, She was Hot, but she may not have been the Hottest, She asked the dude in charge of the prospective brides “what does the King like?”, and prepared herself according to the things and ways that the King fancied. She may not have been chosen had she not used wisdom in the way she adorned herself, she could have said “no, I will not serve a pagan King” and killed herself. But she didn’t, she Trusted God and believed that He was in control. Esther’s wisdom saved her own life, but her compassion led her to the “for such a time as this” moment and save her people too.
What was Esther’s purpose? 
What allowed Esther to fulfill that purpose? 
What price are you willing to pay to fulfill your purpose? 
(God’s love is everlasting) no matter what we do, His love for us cannot and will not change… remember Jesus Said, “let this cup pass from Me, but not My will, Your Will Be Done” Jesus could have ascended into Heaven right there, But His Compassion saved His People too.

In its simplest most general form, I believe that Our purpose is Save our Father’s People.”

- Someone Wiser Than I (Thank you, sir, for the message :) )

This couldn't have all come together at a better time. Saturday night I was on duty in Abel (If you aren't familiar with RA lingo that means I walk through the whole building and check a bunch of stuff 2 - 3 times a night to ensure everyone is safe and the building is in order). It's weird being an RA because you sort of develop a sixth sense to detect alcohol in rooms and you just KNOW if it's going to be "one of those nights." We knew. My partner and I encountered a few incidents and by the time we were finished with paperwork and I was climbing into bed it was about three in the morning.  I was almost asleep when I heard this weird noise, like water pouring.

(Sam, you are going to appreciate this. I miss your reactions to my RA stories!)

I look down from the top bunk at my door and see a puddle coming through the crack underneath it. By the time I was out of bed, opening the door, the two gentleman who had peed all over my door were running up the steps (I didn't see them and don't know who they were). There was pee everywhere. All over the linoleum in my room, all over my door, and all over the carpet outside my room. So I spent another 30 minutes mopping up someone elses pee from my floor before I got to go to bed.

Now, the point of the story isn't to gross you out (but I have gotten some pretty good reactions to the story already, which I revel in). It's to prove a point. I was livid cleaning that mess up - I felt angry, upset, frustrated, I was seething while I mopped up the mess (I've mentioned I think I have an anger problem, right?. But after reading what I posted above from my friend I started thinking....and this is what I got.

I think I spend a lot of time thinking purpose works like this:

This is how I sort of hazily thought about purpose. It starts with me asking "What is my purpose in life?" which translates into: When will I get to that point where I'm good enough to fulfill that one ultimate job that is my purpose. Then someday, when I magically figured out my one purpose, I would surely be close to dying and have finished out my life with a bang.

Now, silly as that might sound, now that I drew up that fancy diagram I can admit that I think that's sort of how I was looking at purpose. But the thing is, I live out God's purpose, not by me trying and working to figure out this one ultimate "thing" that is my "life purpose." God uses my whole life for a purpose. Which I connected back to the peeing incident. 

If there are no accidents, it was no accident that those two gentleman had "accidents" on my door (and carpet...and floor....) Maybe my purpose in that whole incident was the way I reacted and how others viewed it, I don't know. But in that moment, that had something to do with my purpose. Does any of that make sense? It makes sense in my mind but it's sounding a little disconnected now that I'm writing it out.

But anyway, I hope that something in here resonated with you.  You are not an accident, and if God created everyone and everything with purpose it's amazing how you start to see connections everywhere around you. Amazing.