Tag Archives: purpose

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Death & the Purpose of Living/ Poem

This is a poem I wrote for Good Friday and read this afternoon at my son Dan’s baptism…

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Death hangs in the balance
Shifting tentatively between the
Living
 here and now
And closer to beyond
towards eternity

He swings
further in that direction
Every soul
Not just the elderly, the sick, the weak, the dying
Each day, everyone
is moved one step closer
To final destiny
Door to breathing closed
completely

As pendulum swings us
nearer to
meeting our Maker

Make the days count
Let them find meaning
For that is the true
Purpose of living
A life hidden in Christ
For Christ IS meaning

Giving up, surrendering, losing
Is actually
Winning

That, the paradox of faith
Dying to self now
Propels to a Future
and a Now with the
Creator of everything

Death is not the ultimatum
Christ overcame cross
Orchestrating gain from loss
Life outlives death
All is not lost

We are His purchase
Bonded, reborn
made new

At Easter it is declared
Death is fleeting, it’s
Not the End, only
The Beginning and
We all are granted
Reasons for living

Life is bonded to Christ
Through this symbol of baptism
The past does not define
Limits cannot defy
Fear cannot despise
Who we are in Him
No force can diminish
Dark Friday could not relinquish
No one can ever prohibit
His power
At work in us

Only in choosing
To die in these waters
Do we find how to truly
Start living

The Spirit descends like a dove
We are transported above
The supernatural becomes the normal
And we are flooded in
His unending
All-encompassing
Unrelenting, sacrificial
Amazing Love

Love that never fades
never dies
When all else fails
Love holds us, Love guides
and keeps us
Through storm and valley
Through darkest night

The imagery of Good Friday is Cross
Blood, sweat and tears
But for the rest of your years, Dan
Good Friday symbolises
Loss of the old life
And ahead with a new, baptised you
Going forward in faith
Set apart for Christ
This is the start of your New Life

Don’t look back
When doubts creep in
Fix your eyes on the Cross
Stay focused on Him
His love is enough
On this path of faith
Hold on to him
Stay rooted in grace
For This is your journey
This is your race

Remember your testimony
Stay firm in His Word
Til one day you meet
The crowned, nail-pierced Lord

 

 

 

 

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The Power of Purpose

Jo Malone (Photo: London Evening Standard)

I switched on Radio 4 this morning and caught the latter part of their Desert Island Discs programme. Successful perfume entrepreneur, Jo Malone, was being interviewed and talked about her struggle with cancer along with the decision to leave cosmetics giant, Estee Lauder – a move which meant signing a clause to stay away from creating fragrances for the next five years.

She went on to describe a difficult phase in her life, sometime into these years, which stood out from everything else she’d just been saying:

“I was miserable because I had no purpose.”

Malone summed up an issue that affects everyone, not only budding business moguls: that when we’re aimless in life, with nothing to pour ourselves into, we may easily start to wallow in misery.

She then emphasised another crucial part of pursuing goals and finding purpose:

“You need to fail as well as succeed.”

In taking up the challenge to find our purpose, it’s inevitable that they’ll be elements of risk and failures – and yet, these are crucial stepping stones to success – and should not deter us from pursuing the roles or passions that we feel compelled towards.

What an inspiration! You can listen to the programme here:  BBC Radio 4 Desert Island Discs/ Jo Malone

For further thoughts on finding your purpose in life (within a Christian faith-based context), check out Rick Warren’s book The Purpose Driven Life.