Life is pretty much a routine. You are born, grow up, go to school or through some vocational or informal learning, you get married if you want, you buy a house, you have children, you grow old, and someday, you die. The routine life manifests daily too. You wake up, get to school, work, open a social media account, get a job, own a, go to the farm or any other place of interest, make investments, sell, buy, eat, drink, visit with friends, go for a party, return home, sleep and start it all over again the next day.
The routines of life are necessary and important. A Christian should however do more than the routine. I read the scripture under focus today, for my devotion on 27th December and it hit me. The people in Noah’s days lived their lives routinely. The Bible says, “They ate, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all.” (Luke 17:27) The people woke up to do business as usual but life had fundamentally changed and they became collateral.
The same went for the people of Sodom in the days of Lot. They ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built (Luke 17:28), and then one day, their beautiful sky which hitherto shined with sun or brought refreshing rain, rained fire and brimstone instead.
So how do we live beyond subsistence, family, survival, commerce, and merriment? I have three thoughts to share.
Find purpose: Noah was introduced to us in Genesis 6:9 as a just man who strived for excellence and walked with God despite the corruption that surrounded him. If you recall, we spoke about the importance of walking with God last week. Although Noah did all the routine things others did – he ate, drank, married, had children, and gave his three sons out in marriage, he also listened to God and got a life purpose to build an ark. In addition to routine, Noah built an ark that is said to have the capacity of more than 500 railroad stock cars and could hold up to 125, 000 sheep-sized animals. (NKJV Faith life Illustrated Bible, 2018:19). Purpose brings meaning to life. It makes an ordinary life extraordinary. It aligns mortality with immortality.
Connect others to purpose: The primary executor of purpose is always only one of the beneficiaries of that purpose. God sent Noah to build an ark because He knew He was sending the flood but He wanted to save as many people as possible. Unfortunately, not all people key into this. Like it was in the days of Noah, many people enjoy routine life too much to notice divine purpose. Eventually, Noah saved only his household but that was just enough to start another nation. When God gives you a talent, gift, or dream, it is usually so others might benefit from it. Hence, the purpose is not an end in itself. It is a means to an end and our God has people at the centre of His agenda.
Keep eternity in view: When Jesus referred to the story of Noah and Lot, He was ultimately talking about the kingdom of God. There is eternity and you will give an account of your life. The Pharisees, a sect of religious people who believed in the afterlife but were so canal they thought it would happen through the natural political system, had asked Jesus about when the kingdom of God would come. Jesus explained to them that the kingdom was not about observing routines but about the purpose and divine agenda. An event like COVID-19 has taught us that God indeed has the power to make the seasons change and He alone truly knows tomorrow.
As you go through 2022, I ask you to begin to live your life beyond the routines. The routines are wonderful and you should enjoy them but you must not make them substitutes for purpose, people, and kingdom focus. That way, you will be ready on the days of flood and the days’ heavens decide to rain fire and brimstone.
Further Bible reading: Luke 17:20-37, Genesis 6:9-9:17, Genesis 19:1-29
Prayer: Lord Jesus, give me the grace to live a life of purpose. Help me to keep your kingdom in focus. Amen.
Song: As a child, I sang this profound dramatised old school song – ijoba Orun ku dede, by Evangelist Funmi Aragbaye. It will bless you. Kindly ask a friend to help with translation if you do not understand Yoruba.
Bible Inspired Thoughts (BITs) are inspirations/revelations I get from pondering on the word of God. They are thoughts that encourage/rebuke/correct/instruct me. I have a mandate to share for the benefit of others.
Motunrayo is the Executive Director/Chief Executive Officer at Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism.
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