At funeral services we gather to grieve the passing of a loved one or a friend, and we hear the pastor talk about a life well lived. It is difficult not to think about eternal things at times like this. We reflect on our own journey ... is our own life being well lived? Will someone stand up at a microphone after we are gone and say similar nice things? Will they be honest if they do?
I am always taken back a bit when I hear Solomon's words from the Book of Ecclesiastes. He was wise, and often times, rather blunt I think. Ecclesiastes 1:2 says, "Meaningless? Meaningless! says the Teacher. Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless."
Solomon then goes on to say that almost all activity we engage in will come to nothing eventually. I think he is right. Take for example, the fact that I am sitting at a computer right now, writing this article. Some of you might read it, and hopefully it will edify and enlighten the reader at least a little. But someday, not even that long from now, it will fade into posterity; drowned out by the voices of successive generations of writers perhaps. As you are reading this text now, it matters in the sense that it has become part of your consciousness. But what will happen in the next half hour or so as you move on with your busy life?
So what then, is the purpose of it all? What does this grand design that we are all a part of actually mean? It becomes a matter of finding purpose. We exist now in a world experiencing a pandemic, civil unrest, and an uncertain future. Most of us thought we would be finished fighting COVID-19 by now. Surely there is more to life than this. And so the thought creeps into our minds again ... always there, never really going away for long. What is the meaning of my life?
Bear with me now, as I want to pass along something that has helped guide me up to this point. I believe it speaks directly to the question of purpose and meaning. It isn't a self-help tip or some piece of biased opinion. It comes to us by way of an ancient proverb (or saying) found in the Old Testament. Proverbs 9:10 tells us that "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding."
I believe that this fear (which really means respect and obedience) for God, and a pursuit of His knowledge will lead us directly to faith. If we follow this path to fruition, mankind cannot help but end up exactly where God wants him to be: cultivating a healthy respect and awe for His creative existence. It trumps all other forms of fruitless gain. In fact, Solomon goes on to list off ten things that seem like they matter on the surface, but have no lasting impact without God's involvement. Things like work, wealth, competition, power, etc. All of these things will be here today, and eventually, gone tomorrow. At some point in the future, even your own family line may not know that you existed. Humbling, isn't it? And also cause for sorrow, if it weren't for God and His eternal qualities.
So my advice is this: 'baptize' everything you do for the sake of God's goodness. Are you a writer? Then write books and articles for Him. Are you a coach? Then lead your athletes to be Godly competitors. Any talent you happen to possess is from God anyway ... you know that don't you? Stop and think about this for a moment. Were you not simply born with this or that ability? You might be using it to your own gain, but you didn't invent or create it. It was given to you before you were born.
And consider this also: if you cannot baptize an activity for the sake of God, then it might be sin. If you are indulging in an activity that you cannot return back to God or use to help other people, it may be something that needs to go from your life. The type of thing that requires repentance, and then forgiveness. It isn't benefiting you now, and it won't help you later either. Sin always has a way of getting worse instead of better, unless or until you focus on eliminating it ... and then often success only follows with God's supernatural help. Ask the recovering alcoholic how he or she got sober. They will often point to a higher power.
A meaningful life begins with seeking after the one for whom all meaning is born and nurtured. Respect and fear God, and then pursue knowledge of Him. It is a lifelong endeavor, and it doesn't stop after an alter call or a commissioning ceremony. Life without God can be busy - maybe even temporarily happy - but it cannot be fruitful. I cannot give back to the world a lasting, eternal gift in the same way that Jesus demonstrates love to us without seeking after the Father of Lights. You will just be going through the motions, not unlike the image of a hamster in a wheel. Round and round you go, keeping busy and trying not to think about eternal things or your eventual departure from this Earth. Trying never to ruminate about what someone might stand up and say at your own funeral. Busy for the sake of being busy.
Seek God and love Him, and this will sustain you in ways that defy imagination. You will have gained more grace than any of us deserve, and you will then be able to pass it on to other people. You can get rid of that fruitless, meaningless feeling forever. You are called to so much more than that anyway.
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