His Own Purpose

Jacob 5:53 And this will I do that the tree may not perish, that, perhaps, I may preserve unto myself the roots thereof for mine ^aown purpose.

In the parable, the lord of the vineyard struggles to preserve the trees, for his own purpose. We have to do a little research to find out what that purpose is. When I was in junior high, a teacher led us in a discussion about why God does the things he does. I was shocked when he concluded the discussion with the conclusion that He does everything concerning us FOR HIS AMUSEMENT. Apparently, according to this philosophy, we are like chess pieces that he moves about here and there to see what we will do for his own entertainment.

Contrast this idea with the words that God taught to Moses in the Pearl of Great Price, Moses 1:39 For behold, this is my ^awork and my ^bglory—to bring to pass the ^cimmortality and ^deternal ^elife of man. The Lord loves us so much that His entire purpose, His work, indeed what gives him His glory is helping us gain eternal life, to live forever with Him. He wants us to be happy, not just today, but for eternity. He wants us to be the best that we can be; He wants to share eternity with us. The former is a selfish, self-absorbed god, toying with His subjects. The latter is a loving, unselfish, sacrificing God, full of compassion.