We have been destined according to the purpose of God who accomplishes all things according to His counsel and will. Ephesians 1:11

You have a God-given destiny! This is the powerful proclamation of the New Testament. In an age when so many think that life is simply random and pointless, the Biblical Word declares that God is leading us into a positive and meaningful future. This does not mean that God controls our life – we have the freedom to respond in faith to God or not – but it means that God has a purpose for us, an intended future in which we will find fulfillment.

We have the freedom to respond in faith to God or not Share on X

What is our destiny? In broad terms, it is to live as God’s children forever! We also likely have a more specific calling in this world; that calling unfolds as we are receptive over time to God’s leading. The good news is that our future does not depend entirely upon us. Our future is in the hands of God, who can open the way through every challenge, and even through death, into a bright and eternal destiny.

So Paul in Ephesians goes on to say, I pray that with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may know what is the hope to which God has called you, what are the riches of His glorious inheritance among the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of His power for us who believe! (Ephesians 1:18-19)

Sunday’s Scripture Readings:
Ephesians 1:3–12
Romans 8:28–39

About the Author

Dr. David A. Palmer has been the senior pastor at the United Methodist Church of Kent since 1995. He has a B.A. from Wittenberg University, a Master of Divinity from Duke University, and a Doctor of Ministry from Princeton Theological Seminary. A native of Wooster, Ohio, he has served three other churches in east Ohio before coming to Kent. He and his wife, Mavis, have three children.