“David said to the Philistines, ‘You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hands.”’
1 Samuel 17: 45- 46a
What inspires and motivates you? What are you passionate about? These questions should be asked at all stages of life – but they are incredibly important for the upcoming generation. The ‘millennial’ generation has definitely gotten a bad rep, often described as either apathetic or self-centered. But I think there’s more to it – it’s a question of purpose.
The question of purpose is one that David answered at a young age. You may have heard the story of David and Goliath: The Israeli army was out matched and taunted by a literal giant of a man. That’s when David, a young, inexperienced shepherd boy, showed up. It didn’t take long before he was so outraged and offended by Goliath’s taunting of the Israelite army, that he volunteered to fight.
What moved David to act in such a way to risk his life? David knew the freedom and liberty of his people was at stake. He probably also thought about the impact a loss would have on the people he loved. But there was something more – something greater that moved David from the sidelines to the frontline. The final straw was hearing Goliath taunt and shame the One True Living God. The honor and name of God was at stake and that was what moved David to action.
Where are you headed and why? What motivates you to get up in the morning? Is it wealth, career, accomplishment, family? I challenge you to put all that second to pursuing God. Put God before work, hobbies, friends and even family and ask Him for clarity. Ask God for direction. Ask Him for purpose. Imagine what would happen if this next generation pursued God’s passions before all else – it could be another world changing in American history.
