Summer 2025 - You Are Here
June 1 - August 2, 2025
Blessed is the one
who does not walk in step with the wicked
or stand in the way that sinners take
or sit in the company of mockers,
but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,
and who meditates on his law day and night.
That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither—
whatever they do prospers.
Not so the wicked!
They are like chaff
that the wind blows away.
Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.
For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked leads to destruction.
-Psalm 1
For the summer, we will explore the Human Flourishing Domain, Meaning and Purpose through a Biblical lens as we reflect theologically about God’s invitation to live meaningful and purposeful lives.
June 1, 2025: Creation Testifies!
Everything starts with God! Any conversation about Meaning and Purpose has to begin with the Christian understanding of the nature of God. God is the Subject of the first sentence of the Bible. Everything begins with Him! The story of creation is a story of intentionality. Everything that exists in creation owes its existence to Him. He created it all out of nothing. Creation has a purposeful and meaningful existence because it was purposefully and meaningfully created by our purposeful God. Fundamental to our understanding of Meaning and Purpose is our belief in our Creator!
Weekly Reading: Genesis 1-2
June 8, 2025: Humanity’s Glory
God’s glory is on display throughout His creation. However, God has reserved a special place in His creative design for human beings. We have been created in His image and uniquely designed to reflect His glory. In fact, He has crowned us with His glory. Human beings can live purposefully and meaningfully because of God’s original design and intent. He has created us to live purposefully into His will as we reflect His glory on earth.
Weekly Reading: Genesis 1-2
June 15, 2025: Flourishing Foundation: Love God!
Father’s Day Matthew 22:34-40
At the core of a meaningful and purposeful life is our relationship to God. God has invited us (commanded us, actually) to love Him. In fact, Jesus boldly proclaimed this as the greatest command in all of the Law. Fundamentally, we are to love God! God has designed us with the capacity and ability to love Him. We are His image-bearers! Our love for God nurtures the spiritual root system of our lives. God is love!
Weekly Reading: 1 John 4:7-21
June 22, 2025: Flourishing Formation: Seek God’s Kingdom!
The pathway to Meaning and Purpose is the journey of Christian formation. As we respond to the love of God experienced through our relationship with Him, we commit ourselves to seek His Kingdom first in our lives. We surrender our will to His will. We must resist the temptation to always seek “our kingdom’s” interests first. Humanity always struggles with seeking its own glory. We are designed to glorify God by seeking His Kingdom first!
Weekly Reading: 2 Corinthians 3:7-18
June 29, 2025: Flourishing Fruitfulness: Love Others!
At the core of the Christian’s journey towards Meaning and Purpose is our love for God. Jesus commands us to love God first. However, Jesus also challenges us to love others. Living a purposeful and meaningful life includes engagement with others in ways that are beneficial to them. Giving consideration to how God uses us to love others is vital to experiencing His purpose in our lives. A blessed person is not one who just absorbs the blessing of God selfishly. Blessed people . . . bless people!
Weekly Reading: Psalm 1
July 6, 2025: Please God!
God has designed human beings with the unique capacity to worship Him. When God’s people worship Him, He is pleased! If we are going to discover our purpose for existence, the journey must include a commitment to worshiping God. We can discover meaning in life as we please God! Worship keeps us grounded in reality. Worship keeps us connected to our Creator. Worship offers us the discipline of glorifying God. Worshiping God brings us into the presence of God regularly and consistently. Worship is a means to spiritual growth and vitality. Also, we thank God today that we live in a nation that practices religious freedom and allows people to worship freely. We remember our brothers and sisters across the world today who live and worship in the face of persecution.
Weekly Reading: Psalm 99
July 13, 2025: Belonging to God’s Family
According to God’s design, each human being is born into a family. Obviously, a human infant is completely helpless and in need of a family in order to survive. It should not surprise us that God has also designed us to fit into a spiritual family when we are born again! The Church is our family. It is insufficient to simply believe the right things about God, we also need to belong to God’s family. We were never intended to “go it alone” in this world. Belonging to God’s family provides the community we need so that we can thrive as believers. Churches are not perfect; however they are earthly expressions of God’s plan for us to live purposefully together in His Kingdom.
Weekly Reading: Acts 2
July 20, 2025: Getting Into Shape!
As human beings, we are susceptible to the powerful shaping forces of This Present Evil Age (Galatians 1:4), but God makes it possible to resist them and live godly lives. He created us in His image. Yet, we all know that this image has been damaged or marred by sin and disobedience. Through God’s redemptive work in our lives, His image can be restored in us, and we can truly reflect His glory in this world. He has made it possible for us to participate in His divine nature and overcome the forces of darkness at work all around us. Jesus shows us how to live this way. God’s desire is to shape us to be like Jesus!
Weekly Reading: Ephesians 4:17-5:2
July 27, 2025: Disciples on Mission
The life, ministry, teachings, example, death, burial, resurrection, ascension, and future return of Jesus Christ has truly changed everything! We can no longer live as if it all did not happen. In fact, it all did happen! We live in the light of God’s fullest revelation of Himself --- namely, Jesus Christ. Now, we have an assignment. We are to be His disciples. That means, we embrace His mission. We are to be invested in a lifetime of service and commitment. We are to join Him in making other disciples. Our calling to ministry as Christians enables us to strengthen and serve our fellow Christians. Our response to the Great Commission offers us an opportunity to take this message beyond our churches and into the broader world. We really don’t have an option here. This is our mandate from our Risen Lord. Let’s do it!
Weekly Reading: Acts 1:1-11
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