What Have I Got To Live For?

The title track on the new AMPED Worship cd is called 'My Purpose' and I have been running it through my cd player continuously since its release. This track is one that some people might miss the meaning of as the melodic refrain repeatedly asks the question, "What have I got to live for?". To some this may sound like a depressing song, but the depth of that question demands exploration.

What have I got to live for?

Let's break it down word for word and see if we can come up with an answer to this apparently simple request.

"What" - the first word provides context as well as a definite article - what is the thing, the person, the activity, that sparks your passion. What is the thing that you will do before everything else. Identify it, name it, write it down. If you struggle to even identify the WHAT then you cannot even get beyond the first word, let alone attempt to answer the question completely.

"Have" - this is an interesting word - it denotes possession, it denotes ownership. This simple word denotes completion - something that has occurred already, not something future. So we in two words have identified a specific thing that we currently possess or own. Now what do we do with this thing?

"I" - this is me, personal, not general. Specific to my life, my experience, my skill set and gifting. So often we look around and see the things that other people can do and we want those things. We need to realize that God has given me an individual life, a life that no-one else has lived but me. He made me special, He has brought me to this point. He did not give me another life, He gave me this one. He did not give me another body, he gave me this one. He did not give me another set of circumstances, He gave me these ones.

"Got" - another possessive word. It is in the past tense too - so it has already been attained. This sentence is beginning to come together. It appears to be speaking of things that have occurred, of skill sets that have been attained, of accomplishments already achieved.

"To" - the reason, the point, the second part of the clause. Without a point there is no need for the first clause. One leads to the next. The fact that we have identified a thing that we possess is not sufficient, there needs to be a reason for us possessing it or for identifying it.

"Live" - ahh, it is now becoming clearer. This thing that we possess is not just a trophy, not just an ribbon or medal that we wear to remind us of past glory - no. This is a continuing possession, this is an ongoing accomplishment. This is an accomplishment that propels us forward into life. The very core of our existence, the very soul of our being is dependent upon this identified thing.

"For" - once more we are identifying ownership, but not ownership that we possess, but ownership of us. This is not something that we do to something else, it is what compels us, what owns us, what drives us, what directs us.

What have I got to live for? - not a statement of despair, but a question asking what is the identified thing/action/person/passion that you possess/own/embody which always compels/directs you to live in such a way that that thing becomes paramount in your thoughts, words and actions.

What have you got to live for?

Answers on a post-card please.