Fulfilling God’s Purpose

 Psalm 138, I Corinthians 15:1-11 

Psalm 138 is a great Psalm of praise for God’s steadfast love, faithfulness, and protection. He tells how when he called to the Lord, God answered him increasing the strength of his soul to endure the hard times. He talks about walking in the midst of trouble, yet God preserves him against the wrath of his enemies. God’s right hand delivers him. What the Psalmist sees in all this that God has a purpose for him and due to all of God’s blessings he has faith that the Lord will fulfill this purpose. Yet he ends saying, “Don’t forsake the work of your hands.”

In Corinthians Paul tells what the good news is. This news he has been called to preach. It is his purpose as an apostle. He calls himself the least of the apostles saying he was unfit since he used to persecute the church of God. What a turnaround! One who persecuted God’s church now proclaiming it. He reflects what the Psalmist says in Psalm 138 about the Lord regarding the lowly.

Who would ever appoint today someone who persecuted the church to become an apostle? Would the Catholic church consider one with such a past to become the Pope? I don’t think so. Yet Paul says, “by the grace of God I am what I am.” God’s grace toward him he says has not been in vain since he has been fulfilling God’s call, God’s purpose for him. He says he worked harder than other apostles, yet he recognizes that his strength like the Psalmist said is from the grace of God that was with him. Paul admits that the Corinthians faith - acceptance of the good news could have come from other apostles but the important thing is that from their proclaiming they were saved.

We like the Psalmist and Paul can go through hard times but as we cry out to the Lord, God will strengthen our souls to endure so we can fulfill God’s purpose for us. We like the Psalmist may grow weary and impatient reminding God to not forsake – forget us the work of God’s hands. Yet we can have faith like the two of them did that the Lord will fulfill God’s purpose for us.

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