Haggai 2:23

Haggai 2:23 (ESV): “On that day, declares the Lord of hosts, I will take you, O Zerubbabel my servant, the son of Shealtiel, declares the Lord, and make you like a signet ring, for I have chosen you, declares the Lord of hosts.””

A recent Lifeway Research study reported that nearly sixty percent of people wonder how they can find more meaning and purpose in life. Most people are looking within themselves to answer that question. But Scripture reminds us that we must look up to our Creator. He alone can tell us what we were made for. Amen?

The exiles returning from Babylon likely felt insignificant and powerless. Yet the Lord, through the prophet Haggai, reminds them that they still have a purpose. They are a chosen people, placed by God in this exact moment of history. This is especially true of their leader, Zerubbabel. God calls him His servant and promises to make him like a signet ring—a symbol of authority, ownership, and divine approval. Zerubbabel was encouraged not to look inward for his significance, but upward, because God had chosen him to be a visible sign of His redemptive purposes for His people.

Where are you looking to find your meaning and purpose in life?  True purpose is found only when we look up to God. In Christ, the Lord has chosen us and placed us exactly where we are for His purposes. We are called to be signs of hope to those around us—living testimonies that God truly does have a plan for our lives. Look up and live out your God-given purpose, friend. That is where real meaning is found.

Father, we thank You for reminding us that we belong to You. You have chosen us and called us to live for Your purposes. May our lives point others to You, and may we faithfully live out all that You have prepared for us. We pray this in Jesus’ name, amen.