God Is Your Only Goal
The sermon addresses the importance of making God the primary and sole goal in a person’s life, and of having the believer walk steadily toward this goal throughout his spiritual journey. His Holiness Pope Shenouda III explains that the problem begins when a person allows secondary goals to share in his love for God, and these goals gradually become the main priorities in his life. These goals may include money, fame, power, or self-satisfaction, and they may also be things that appear spiritual, such as service, order, or monasticism, when the means become an end and the person forgets God Himself. He emphasizes that the Lord Jesus Christ remained steadfast in His goal, which was the salvation of the world; therefore, He set His face toward Jerusalem and proceeded toward the Cross for the salvation of humanity.
Spiritual Message
The main message of the sermon is that God does not want a part of a person’s heart, but the whole heart and complete love. The speaker explains that seeking God alone is not enough; rather, a person should seek Him alone, without allowing anything else to share His first place in life. He gives biblical examples, such as Abraham, who left his land and relatives to follow God; Peter the Apostle, who declared that the disciples had left everything and followed Christ; and Paul the Apostle, who expressed that life is Christ. He also explains that the believer who makes God his true portion finds in Him a steadfast relationship and a joy and peace that the world cannot guarantee.
Educational Lesson
The sermon teaches us that spiritual means, such as prayer, fasting, service, and monasticism, should lead a person to God rather than become independent goals apart from Him. A person may become so occupied with organizing service or insisting on order that he loses his peace, prayer life, and love for others. Likewise, a person may practice prayer, fasting, and receiving Holy Communion while God remains on the margins of his life instead of being the center of his entire life. Therefore, a person must continually examine his heart and ask himself about his true goal, the steadfastness of his love for God, and the existence of secondary goals that lead him away from Him. The sermon also emphasizes that spiritual life is not a fixed state, but continuous growth in knowing God, loving Him, and being filled with the Holy Spirit.
Practical Application
The sermon calls every person to review his relationship with God honestly and ensure that God occupies the first place in his heart and concerns. A person should dedicate time to prayer and sitting with God, and his interest in Him should increase instead of being constantly occupied with other matters. Fasting should also be a training in gradually giving up whatever distracts the heart from God and preparing to offer Him greater love and more time. The speaker encourages growth, step by step, in knowing and loving God, without stopping at a particular spiritual level or moving backward. The goal is for a person’s entire life to become dedicated to God, so that he can sincerely say that God is his portion, his life, and everything to him.
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