Serving the purpose of God in your generation!

After He had removed him, He raised up David to be their king, concerning whom He also testified and said, ‘I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My heart, who will do all My will.’ Acts 13:22

” For David, after he had served the purpose of God in his own generation, fell asleep, and was laid among his fathers and underwent decay..”(Acts 13:36).

I want to bring to your attention three things from the above verses today. David had his heart set after God and His purposes from a very young age. In the same way, God wants us to have a heart set after Him and His purpose. David must understand God’s will for His life, which of course he did. God knew David would do His will because his heart was set after God. Therefore He removed Saul and made David the king of Israel. God called David “a man after my own heart”.

Secondly, David served the purpose of God in his own generation. He did not serve the Lord in any other generation. He had a window of opportunities to serve the Lord in his unique generation only. Similarly, we have a limited window of time divinely appointed to serve our generation. The generation we serve the Lord is different from David’s. We are not serving the Lord in the old testament period or even the first century. We are not serving the Lord in the 15th,17th, or 18th century AD. We serve the Lord in this 21st century. We serve the Lord in this global-oriented, technologically driven, liberal, and loose generation that questions the existence and authority of God.

Thirdly, to serve the Lord in our generation that faces totally different challenges, we must get the divine counsel for this generation. The word ‘boulei’ used in verse 36 means “the divine counsel” of God. The right translation is David served his generation by God’s divine counsel for His purpose. He got the counsel from God to effectively serve in his day. The Word of God does not change over time. The Word of God remains the same. It is fixed in heaven forever. It does not change over time or according to generations. Alternatively, we can not mold this generation to fit into past generations either. Why? Because we are uniquely called to serve our generation with all its new challenges with the eternal Word of God.

Three things emerge from our today’s insight. Number one, like David, we must set our hearts to do God’s will. For this, we must understand God’s word and that will lead us to understand His will for our lives. Secondly, we have a unique call to serve this generation. We are not called for a prior generation or a future generation. Our call is for our generation with all its challenges. Thirdly, to serve our unique generation for the purpose of God, we need the divine counsel of God from the pages of the Bible.

Now, did David fulfill God’s plans and desires? The answer is yes. The passage says he fulfilled God’s will and served the counsel of God in his generation. We may doubt this because of his sin with Bathsheba, the murder of Uriah, and the numbering of people. Amid these failures, his overall life is testified well done by God. You see, God testified he has done the will of God and served the Lord with the purposes of God in his generation. Even in his repentance and confession of sins, he did the will of God. 

You see, God is not looking for perfect people to do His work in this generation. Many people who fulfilled God’s will and purpose in the pages of the Bible were not perfect or sinless. However, he searches for those whose heart is set on Him and His purpose. Bible says in 2nd Chronicles 16:9, “For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.” Besides, God searches for a person who is willing to accept his errors and confesses his sins to become pure again by the wonder-working power of God.

Beloved, do you want to fulfill God’s plan and purpose in your life? Do you want to serve the purpose of God with His counsel in your generation? First of all, you must come to Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who came to this earth, died for all of your sins to make you clean to serve Him? Have you taken that first step?

Got a moment for today’s prayer? Pray after me. “Father in heaven, I want to do your will in my life. I want to serve my generation with your counsel to fulfill your purpose. I submit myself to you. I want to know your counsel from the pages of the Bible to effectively serve this generation. I believe Your Son, Jesus Christ, died and rose again for all my sins. I believe Him as my savior and Lord. Use me and equip me to serve my generation with your counsel. I surrender my life to you. In Christ’s name, I pray. Amen.”