the day you figure out WHY

"THE TWO MOST IMPORTANT DAYS OF YOUR LIFE ARE THE DAY YOU ARE BORN 

AND THE DAY YOU FIGURE OUT WHY." -Mark Twain

The warmth of the summer sun was unbearably magnified by the sweaty convection of the turf field that July morning. A half empty bottle Gatorade offered momentary relief between suicide sets and parachute sprints. Through two small earphones repeated the same song, drowning out everything, the heat, the pain, the muscle exhaustion, and the scoffing voices of defeat. 

 

But those are the thoughts that made him run faster.
He knew what he wanted, and he know what it was going to take to get there.

Running next to him was a girl. They ran together when he didn't have football practice. She was curious, searching, and unsure. Unsure of what she wanted. where she was going, how she was going to get there and who she was going with.

Burning legs and aching lungs consumed her thoughts. Cool beads of sweat brought satisfaction and relief. Dig. Dig deeper. Don't let up. Run faster. Her cleats flew through the wind. She threw her feet forward into the soft turf and then flung them against the backs of her legs. 

But she was no match for him. He beat her every time.

He was stronger; he'd been practicing like this his entire life. He's known what he wanted from the time he was 8 years old. Why he was so passionate, she'd never know.  

                                

How was he so sure of his purpose in life? 

He had to be afraid that things would change, or that things wouldn't work out. But nothing had transpired in his life during the last decade to soften his resolve.

She admires his tenacity, his steadfastness and dedication. At the same time she worries for him. She knows that there is only one purpose worthy of being devoted to.

Years past and eventually, he realized success. He proved all the naysayers wrong. The NFL signed him and the glory and success that had motivated him all his life was realized. Money and fame followed some successful interceptions and passes. He had all he ever wanted. 

Or did he?

Twittering sparrows signify a brisk spring morning, but the arthritic old man shuffling along the sidewalk was now in the fall of his life. He smiled at the sounds of the wailing baby birds and remembered all of the hard times that the Lord had brought him through.

                               

"Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? 

And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father." 

~Matthew 10:29

His family, his career, his golf clubs, all of the beautiful places he'd been to around the world
all added up to a blessed life.

"For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out." 

~ 1 Timothy 6:7

He had lived for each of them at a time, but now all of those things were mostly memories. 

What is the purpose of his life? The day he was born brought him into the world, young eager, untainted. Now he was approaching the day he would die, old, jaded and tired. But it is the answer to the second question that still gives him hope. 

The reason for existence has to be able to rise above every other goal, hope, wish and dream. 

Time turns the dawn of dreams into memories setting on the distant horizon.

Passions and desires come and go. 

Hope and dreams fall away with the maple leaves in the fall.

Looking back on his life he could see things so clearly.

One purpose in his eighty two years had transcended all. 

He discovered God.

Moreover, he discovered that God, the Creator, and the King of Kings loved him. Why? He had no idea. After all the things he'd done, the lies, the stealing, the cheating, but God still loved him.  

                                    

"For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him. Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God's one and only Son." 

~John 3:16-18

And that was when he knew why he had been born. He trusted in God; believed that the death, burial and resurrection of Christ was payment for his sin and his life had changed. The love that God had bestowed upon him began to transcend his entire life and everything he did. 

God gave him unfounded love for his family, his friends and his enemies. 

"For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, 

nor angels nor principalities nor power, not things present nor things to come, 

not height nor depth, or any other created thing,

shall be able to separate us from 

the love of god which is Christ Jesus our Lord."

~Romans 8:38-39

To understand this love is to understand life and the purpose therein. 

"For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain."

~Philippians 1:21