JULITA EXPLORES: ‘He is my purpose’

A monthly column in which Julita Kok shares on living adventurously with God

In an article a few months ago, I told you that I just turned 60. To me. truly an enjoyable age. I don’t really care what people think of me; I love being independent and to do whatever I feel like; I love the fact that I have matured concerning certain of my characteristics. And I love what I have learned about God up to now. Let me share just a little of what I have realised and experienced over the past 60 years. 

God has brought me to this day and place where I am now. I can only proclaim His glory and goodness. Do I know what lies ahead after 60? I do not. Do I know where I am going with my life? I do not. Things have changed since Covid. I asked God the other day what lies ahead in my future. Told Him that I couldn’t live without knowing that I am at least heading somewhere. I might be 60 but I still need purpose, and with what is happening in the world today, it feels like there is little or no purpose. I am always honest with God. I mean, He knows everything already, so no use in hiding my emotions and feelings from Him. 

So, God challenged me. He asked me: “Julita, is it not enough for you to wake up in the morning knowing that you are going to enjoy the fullness of this day with Me?” 

Exploring God

Oh, my word! It blew me away! I suddenly realised that I should step beyond purpose now. There was a time when that was very important. “You have to know your purpose!” we were taught. But God is doing a new thing now. He is our purpose. He is my purpose. When I wake up in the morning, it is all about what is on God’s agenda for this day. What does He want me to keep myself busy with? What is there in my hands that I should do now that I am 60? I have not figured all of this out yet, though. We are still having this conversation, but I know that there are depths within Him that I have yet to discover, and He wants me to explore Him. 

Here is the thing. One might think that you want to do your own things as well, but when you become one with God, Him in you and you in Him, all you want to do is what He wants to do. Your desires and His desires are the same. This is a beautiful, satisfying place of rest. If you get this, you will know that He is your inheritance and in Him is everything.

So, at this stage of my life, I am exploring what it is like to only desire Him. I am not there yet. I still have my own little plans, but I know that He is leading me there now. That place of total, complete intimacy with the one and only true God.

I have learnt a lot in my lifetime. I have seen a lot. I have experienced a lot. At the end of the day, I still feel as if I have only uncovered the tip of who God is. There is just so much more, and as I journey with Him and just do life, I discover more and more.

Trying not to be too spiritual

I have also learnt not to be too spiritual. You might think this strange, but I have seen that the moment I get too spiritual, I make a religion out of that experience. Although it is not my intention, that is who we humans are. Always making rules, recipes and wanting to earn things. God is a Father. He gives out of love, not because we have earned it. And because it is out of love, it is more than when you would have worked for it. So, I am at a place now where, if God told me to do nothing today but just simply enjoy my grandchildren, then that is what I would do. Everything else can wait. If it is that important to God that I spend time with my grandkids, I trust Him that He knows why. If He told me tomorrow to get into my car and travel Africa AGAIN all by myself, then that is what I would do. 

If He told me: “From now on, all I want from you is to stay home and cook for the poor,” then that is what I would do. If God does not move, I do not move. I have learnt that to move with Him is the best thing you can do in this whole world.

Believing Him

One of the things I live my life by, is to believe God. When He speaks to me, I believe Him. Not just in Him. I believe what He says. I act on that belief. I never wonder if it was Him or not. I know His voice, and when He tells me to do something, I do not question Him. I just do it. I nearly never know how to do it, but I have learnt, like Joshua, to put my foot in the Jordan River and just start. The moment that I begin with whatever He instructed me to do, it seems that everything starts coming together. I can never tell you how it would work or where the money would come from or what my plans would be, because it all happens along the way. All I need to do, is believe Him and do what my hand finds to do. The rest is up to Him. 

The burden is always the Lord’s. Never mine. 

I always have the stories and testimonies to share afterwards and found that many of my stories are an encouragement to others. I am thankful for that.

So here I am, 60 years old, awaiting the Lord’s instruction for what is next. One of the things He instructed me to do, is write a book on my Africa trip. I will do that soon. I have already opened up my calendar for that. I know that I will visit Israel again this year. No idea when, but I am ready. I have a few events happening, but then there are my journeys with God. My daughter, Julanie, wrote a song called You are in control and the chorus states so beautifully: “I will run into the fire if You tell me so!” And this is my sentiment exactly. Whatever He instructs me to do, that is what it will be, and if it is to travel South America alone, then that is what I will do. We have not had this conversation yet. It is just a stirring in my spirit at this time. So I know it is coming. I know, for now, I need to do what my hand finds to do and be ready for whatever He brings my way. I am going to Tanzania in three weeks’ time and cannot wait for that experience. The people I will meet, the places He will take me to be available to the people. How I love that. Fact is, I am ready for whatever is next!

A personal challenge

And I want to challenge you. You might not be 60 yet or you might be past 60 already. But ask the Lord what He wants from you? What is the adventure the two of you have to embark on? Life is not over until it is over and as long as you and I have breath in our longs, there is so much we can do for Him. What I found, is that it is not always for Him alone, it is also for YOU. He allows with whatever it is you do for Him, to change you for the good. It is a wonderful thing. 

So as we continue with the last month of the first quarter of 2025, let us all ask the Lord what it is He wants us to be busy with for the remainder of this year and maybe we will get an opportunity to share our God adventures and how it did not only impact others, but ourselves and how much it taught us about God, the One Who is our reward. I want nothing more. 

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