Rev. Robert Anderson, BCMD President and Pastor of Colonial Baptist Church, Randallstown, Md.
By Robert Anderson, BCMD President and Pastor of Colonial Baptist Church, Randallstown, Md.
Everything in life is designed for the noblest of purpose, namely to know the God of the Bible. Life is full of surprises, twists and turns, disappointments, and moments of happiness. But why? In the “Shorter Catechism” agreed upon by the Reverend Assembly of Divines at Westminster, this old creed asks this question in a another way, “What is the chief end of man?” To which the profound yet simple response is: “Man’s chief end is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.” In fact, this is the witness of the twenty-four elders in Revelation 4:11, “Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.”
These are my thoughts as I sit at my desk at 3 a.m. reflecting on the passing of a good friend. My friend, in a short moment in time, was used by God to get me to attend a revival service on Friday, Jan. 12, 1973, on which I received the Lord Jesus Christ as my Savior. Following that glorious night, I probably saw my friend less than ten times face to face over the last forty years. Admittedly, I have lost a lot of friends, relatives, even my own father and the question of “Why?” crosses my mind. Clearly, the results of sin has left a devastating trial of death and sorrow. However, the hope of believers was celebrated recently, namely, the resurrection of the unique Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ, Alleluia!
This leads me back to my opening paragraph, that all life has a divine purpose no matter how long or short, grand or small, or strong or weak. My fellow Southern Baptist, God wants us to find Him in the midst of it all. Remember the words of Hosea:
“Let us know; let us press on to know the Lord; His going out is sure as the dawn; He will come to us as the showers, as spring rains that water the earth” (6:3).
Knowing God is what life is all about, and therefore let us “press on” through sickness and pain, heartache or gain, for God is here for us to know Him. As we soon head into a new season, “spring” in itself is a teacher of God’s love and faithfulness as sweetly expressed in the second verse of the great hymn “Great is Thy Faithfulness”:
Summer and winter, and springtime and harvest,
Sun, moon and stars in their courses above,
Join with all nature in manifold witness,
To thy great faithfulness, mercy, and love.
“Great is thy faithfulness! Great is thy faithfulness!”
Morning by morning new mercies I see;
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided,
“Great is Thy faithfulness,” Lord unto me!
May the Lord of heaven and earth give to us an insatiable desire to know Him.
On a more personal note, please allow me to grow in this article writing business. I have not had the charge to write so often. Therefore, I ask for your prayers and patience as we journey together in this endeavor, and it is my prayer that something might be communicated to strengthen and encourage all of us as we prepare to see the King!