Monday, April 24, 2017

Envisioning Telos


 Envisioning Telos

       You may already know something about this Greek word that we will discuss this week because it's meaning taps into the big picture issues of life.    I'm sure that your pastor has used this word in his/ her sermons due to the impact it has on theological understandings.                        

 With telos, many great things have been accomplished in this world but Without telos, some of the smallest things that we experience in life are chocked out of our reality.  Sometimes people who have lost their telos will fall into deep dark depression, some have died.   So, let's talk about telos this week.

    Telos is Purpose

      Defined: The end of a goal-directed process, especially the Aristotelian final cause..

  As humans, our minds are driven to understand the world around us in a way that looks for purpose.  Not just what else does this can opener do besides open cans but what is the end goal and purpose for the making of this thing.   telos has more to do with what will a certain process bring about and how will it effect the world around it?

       We all have thought about what is our purpose in a job or task, maybe a group has a certain purpose looking to accomplish an outcome and this is important in life.   

  The Psalmist said....

   Psalm 73:28 says, "But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord God, that I may declare all thy works."

    Westminster Shorter Catechism Question 1 What is the chief end of man?  And the answer is, “Man's chief end is to glorify God, an enjoy Him forever. 

       You see, in the Biblical sense, we were created to glorify God, or to use our abilities and skills to impact the world in a certain way.... A way in which God has determined.   You may think that you think strangely but in the biblical sense you were brought into this world with a purpose for your life and to make a change in the lives of those that you encounter.   So. When people encounter you, they will be a little different than when you first met them.   



       The second part of the answer is very important too, because it speaks of fulfillment in life.   As we seek to glorify God in our lives with the skills, gifts and talents we have, we find that we have the experience of the benefit of feeling useful in the world around us.  This usefulness is not the telos of the big picture but it points to the reality of our ultimate telos, enjoying God forever.  The fulfillment we feel is that we are actually doing what God purposed us to do.  This whole teaching opposes the idea of Charles Darwin the author of 'Origin of the Species'.   When we know our purpose, we find what we are to be doing while in this world and get a sense of our actions being bigger than ourselves.   

       Your specific job here at on your team has meaning and purpose but if you think about it you could have worked anywhere doing anything, how you see your purpose defines how you end up serving the world around you.  Looking from the 'Bird's eye view' you have a broader understanding of why you have this job on this team doing what you do with excellence and intension and for a greater purpose.    So, serve your particular purpose on the team you work with.  Do it with great planning, excellence and passion and then feel the great rush of fulfillment that gives you a sense of God's purpose for your life and it's ultimate ends.  A great enjoyment with God. 

 May God bless you.    May there be a fusillade of grace, by way of direction, connecting, compassion that grant you success in your efforts to offer support and hope to patients and their families.  Amen

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