El Elyon

I cry out to God Most High, to God who fulfills his purpose for me. —Psalm 57:2 ESV

Purpose. It’s a powerful word. We’re all searching for answers to life’s big questions. Why am I here? Where am I going? What’s it all about? Is there someone somewhere who can help me figure it all out?

When Samuel the prophet showed up and announced to a young shepherd boy named David that God had chosen him to be king of Israel, his purpose seemed clear. But it wasn’t a straight line to the throne. David went from being a shepherd in the field to a giant-slaying hero to a fugitive. And as he hid in a cave, fearing for his life, he cried out to El Elyon, the “God Most High.” Even though he couldn’t see beyond the cold, damp cavern, he knew God would save him and fulfill his purpose.

Psalm 57:1-11 ESV
Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me, for in you my soul takes refuge; in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge, till the storms of destruction pass by. I cry out to God Most High, to God who fulfills his purpose for me. He will send from heaven and save me; he will put to shame him who tramples on me. Selah God will send out his steadfast love and his faithfulness! My soul is in the midst of lions; I lie down amid fiery beasts— the children of man, whose teeth are spears and arrows, whose tongues are sharp swords. Be exalted, O God, above the heavens! Let your glory be over all the earth! They set a net for my steps; my soul was bowed down. They dug a pit in my way, but they have fallen into it themselves. Selah My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast! I will sing and make melody! Awake, my glory! Awake, O harp and lyre! I will awake the dawn! I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the peoples; I will sing praises to you among the nations. For your steadfast love is great to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds. Be exalted, O God, above the heavens! Let your glory be over all the earth!

The same God who rescued David and brought him from the cave to the throne came to rescue us, too. We were stuck in sin and doomed for eternity until the God Most High intervened in a mighty way. He chose a young virgin girl to be the one through whom He would send His Son, Jesus, to be the Savior of the World. (See Luke 1:35.)

God’s primary purpose for you is to know Jesus as your Lord and Savior and spend eternity in His presence. But He also has a purpose for you here on earth. He has given you unique passions and talents, aligning special opportunities for you to impact your world in a way only you can. When you use your God-given gifts for His glory, you are fulfilling your purpose because your ultimate purpose is to know God and make Him known.

When you start to feel discouraged about what you’re doing or where you’re going, consider the apostle Paul’s words to the church at Philippi: “And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6 ESV). As long as there is breath in your lungs, you have a purpose on earth. Cry out to El Elyon. He will fulfill His purpose for you.

Ephesians 2:1-10 ESV
And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

DECLARE

God Most High will fulfill His special purpose for me.

PRAY

Lord, thank You for intervening in my life to save me. I surrender my search for purpose to You and commit to living my life to glorify You.

PONDER

Consider the special passions, talents, and opportunities God has given you. How can you use them to glorify Him? When you surrender all of it to Him, your purpose will be fulfilled.