Created to Worship: Finding Your Purpose in God’s Glory

Have you ever used a tool for something other than what it was designed to be used for? Sometimes, a little improvisation is the best solution in the moment. I’ve used my car key to open a package when I couldn’t find scissors. When a table wobbles, folding up a napkin to level it is a quick fix.

While these shortcuts can be useful, I’d never forget the original purpose of those items.  I still need my car key to start my car; it’s not really a box cutter.  And napkins? They still belong at my dinner table, not just stuffed under the leg of every chair in my house!

Just because we temporarily repurpose something, doesn’t mean its true purpose has changed. The same can be said about us.

We can turn to Scripture for the truth of our purpose:

Bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the end of the earth, everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made…. The people whom I formed for myself that they might declare my praise (Isaiah 43:7, 21 ESV).

Our Creator made us for the ultimate purpose of His glory. We were designed to praise Him with our lips and with our lives (see also 1 Peter 2:9 and Ephesians 1:11-12). What a beautiful purpose to declare over our lives!

But when life throws us off course, we can forget our purpose. We might start looking to other things to give us meaning or peace. We chase security through success, fulfillment through earthly relationships, or direction through worldly voices. Without realizing it, we’ve started worshipping creation instead of the Creator.

These things might offer momentary satisfaction, but they will always fall short. Worldly things were never meant to carry the weight of our worship. They are stand-ins—cheap imitations of our original purpose.

The good news? Our purpose doesn’t change. Even if we’ve wandered for a while, we can never be broken or repurposed beyond recognition. We don’t need to find a new purpose—we just need to return to our true one. 

Let the Lord remind you today: you were made for His glory.

Oh sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth! Sing to the Lord, bless his name; tell of his salvation from day to day. Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples! For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; he is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols, but the Lord made the heavens… Worship the Lord in splendor of holiness; tremble before him, all the earth (Psalm 96:1-5, 9)!

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Scripture is quoted from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®). ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved.