LHM Daily Devotions - What Am I Doing Here?

"What Am I Doing Here?"

Mar. 1, 2019

Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

~ Ephesians 5:1-2 (ESV)

"What am I doing here?" It's a question every one of us has probably asked many times.

Sometimes the question is asked in relation to a specific situation. The question then may really be "What am I doing here at the bridge table when my cards are so bad that I'm not enjoying the game?" Or "What am I doing here at this party when I should be home with my wife and kids?"

At other times, the question "What am I doing here?" is a question being asked in reference to certain areas of life. At those times, the nature of the question is "What am I doing in this job ... in this marriage ... in this friendship, etc.?"

All of these questions are, of course, interrelated. For what I see to be the meaning and purpose of my life on earth will relate directly to how I feel about my job, my marriage, my friendships, and everything else in my life. And what I believe to be my reason for being in this world will also relate to why I am in certain places and certain situations, and how I feel about being there.

As a Christian, the question "What am I doing here?" is related in all its implications to my Christian faith. For it is my Christian faith which determines the meaning and purpose of my life. And it is my faith which determines for me the specifics of what I should be doing from day to day, and where I should be or should not be in the course of my daily living.

In Ephesians 5:1-20, St. Paul gives the Christian answer to the question "What am I doing here?" Study Ephesians 5:1-2 to discover what the apostle says is to be the meaning and purpose of the Christian's life on earth.

Now look at verses 3-20. What do these verses tell you about the life you should strive to live as a Christian? What do they say about the kind of character you should display—the kind of example you should set? Take a few minutes and ask yourself this very personal question: "How does the way I live my life compare to the words of Paul?"

Some attempt to reduce the Christian life down to a system of do's and don'ts, but Paul is talking about much more than that here. These words are given as a practical means by which Christians express the meaning and purpose of their lives as "imitators of God" who "walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us."

What am I doing here? By God's grace and the power of His Holy Spirit, I'm living my life as a child of God.

THE PRAYER: Heavenly Father, thank You for the joy and purpose You have given us as Your children. Let the lives we lead point to Your Son, our Lord and Savior. In His Name we pray. Amen.

From The Lutheran Layman, November 1978 issue, "What Am I Doing Here?" by Ron Schlegel. Use these devotions in your newsletter and bulletin! Used by permission; all rights reserved by the Int'l LLL (LHM).
"What am I doing here?" It's a question every one of us has probably asked many times.