What did you do yesterday to build the Kingdom? What will you do today? Those two questions may be the most important you can ever ask yourself. Indeed, these questions frame the purpose of life. There is nothing else worth living for other than Jesus. We will spend our lives building His Kingdom or building our own. The Kingdom of God is eternal.
It will exist long after our own little kingdoms have faded in history, washed away by the tides of time. But Jesus remains. His Kingdom endures forever. Why would we spend our lives pursuing things which will not last when we can spend it for that which lasts forever?
God’s Kingdom will not be built by accident. It grows and expands through the intentional acts of His people in concert with His sovereign and mighty hand. Each day we must determine which Kingdom we will build. We must determine to obey Christ, to diligently seek and follow Him. There are myriad temptations attempting to distract us all along the way. The world will call out to us, beckoning we stop and enjoy all it has to offer. But like Nehemiah, we must say, “I am doing a great work and cannot come down to you” (Nehemiah 6:3).
What we are building cannot be stopped, so why would we cease our efforts? We have the amazing privilege of being part of the greatest news on earth. Our mission is to continue what Jesus started when He was here. He came to give sight to the blind, to lead those in darkness into the light (Luke 4:17-21). The mission is unchanged. So many live in darkness today and need the love and light of Jesus. The purpose of life is to glorify God and bring others into His presence. When we do this, we build His Kingdom here on earth.
God will restore all things to the perfection He created in the Garden of Eden. He will restore us to a state of holy perfection before Him, and He will return all that has been lost. That wonderful day is coming. Until it does, it is our job to call others to turn to Him, to respond to the love their Creator has for them. With so much darkness in the world, it can be difficult to remember the purpose of life, the reason we have breath. Know as long as we are living, the purpose of life is to glorify God and build His Kingdom. It’s no more complicated than that.
Too many people struggle with wondering what to do with their lives. I have a simple, Biblical answer for you: love God with all your heart, soul, and mind. Love everyone else just as Christ loves you (Matthew 22:37-39; John 15:12). Feed the hungry, clothe and shelter the poor, visit the sick and imprisoned, provide a cool drink to those who thirst (Matthew 25:31-46). Care for the orphans and the widows, and keep yourself from following the ways of this world (James 1:27). All these things build the Kingdom of God. All of them bring glory to His name. In these, you will find the purpose of life because in obeying the commands of Jesus, you will draw closer to Him and experience Him for who He is. There is no greater reason to live.