Knowing God - Destiny
This series of posts explores the topic “knowing God” – what it is, what it is not, why it is important, how it is possible and why it is relevant to marketplace leaders in the twenty-first century.
THE NEED TO KNOW WHERE I’M GOING
“The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, But in ourselves, that we are underlings.” ~Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare
“But as it is written, ‘No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined the things that God has prepared for those who love him.’” Paul, the Apostle
From a young age, I needed to know I was heading toward a positive finish/destiny; i.e., to end well. As I see it, destiny is a function of two variables. The first is internally determined actions. The second is externally determined events and forces. Many would interpret Caesar’s above-quoted words to accord with the view that the first variable is the more important.
To the extent that I thought at all about life after death prior to my encounter with Jesus, I considered it totally outside my control. This perspective is nicely captured by “Que Será, Será (Whatever Will Be, Will Be),” the hit song from the 1950s sung by Doris Day in the Hitchcock film “The Man Who Knew Too Much.” Thus, my need to know where I was going was largely satisfied by setting future goals and implementing strategies to achieve them.
Actually, I avoided the topic of death. I’m not alone. Notwithstanding that the probability of death is 100%, most don’t like to think or talk about it. Recently, at the invitation of a LeaderImpact group leader, Mary and I attended an excellent (and motivating!) presentation by Dr. Tom Deans based upon his bestselling book “Willing Wisdom: 7 Questions to Ask Before You Die.” After finishing this post, I intend to start his book en route to London, UK for some business meetings. (As Mary is accompanying me, there will also be a pleasure element!)
At the beginning of his presentation, Deans pointed out that most families deal with death through denial. This is why, for example, families seldom get together to discuss the parents’ wishes before they die. Rather, most individuals rely on their written will to communicate their wishes after they’re gone or do nothing. According to Deans, more than half the population today dies without leaving a will! Mary and I do have wills and, based on Deans’ presentation, we intend to hold family meetings before we’re gone!
Anyhow, from the moment I encountered Jesus and accepted His invitation to save and lead me, all fear surrounding death evaporated. I am destined to spend eternity in God’s presence. According to the Bible, not only is my destiny secure, it is the ultimate definition of “ending well.” There will be no more pain, suffering, sickness, disease, sin or injustice. As per the opening quote, heaven is beyond my wildest imaginings!
Note that both my choice of Jesus (internal) and His choice of me (external) will determine my ultimate destiny. In fact, to know God is to know my destiny!
Do you know your destiny? Do you want to?
Next week, I will explore the need to know my life counts.
Photo by Jessica Ruscello on Unsplash
