What Are we Living For?

This was from their album called The Miracle. What a profound question—does anybody know what we’re living for? There is nothing new in this question. Back in 1865 Leo Tolstoy finished writing his epic novel War and Peace, considered today as one of the world’s greatest novels. But what is not so well-known is this: In 1879, aged 51, he wrote another book called A Confession, where he examines his religious beliefs, and tries to find answers to the profound questions: What will come of my life? and What is the meaning of life? He was desperate to come up with answers—and he felt that if he didn’t find the answers, life didn’t have much going for him.

This remarkably gifted man looked back on his life and considered it to be a meaningless, regrettable failure. His ambition was to become wealthy and famous, but nothing satisfied him. He married and had 13 children. Yet there was one question which haunted him: Is there any meaning in my life which will not be wiped out by the inevitably of death which awaits me? I understand he eventually came across some peasants in Russia who were committed Christians, and he realised faith in Jesus Christ could give him the answers he was searching for.

Is There a Bigger Purpose?

What can we do to find out the meaning of life? Is there a bigger purpose for my life? It doesn’t matter what your age or education level—if you’re a professional person or never received a good education. We each need to think over these issues. Because if we don’t find some answers, we’ll make up our own. It seems to me we are made to have something at the centre of our life. If you don’t have God at the centre of your life, you’ll find something else—it may be sport, money, having fun, or focusing your energies on your work. But it doesn’t work.

Three of the greatest minds in western civilisation were Marx, Freud, and Darwin. They used to say, You came from nothing—you’re going to nothing. It’s like saying, You’re nothing but a cosmic accident. It doesn’t make any sense to say this—if God didn’t create us and there’s no eternity, then what’s life all about? The Bible says you do matter. If life has no meaning, just escape from it. And sadly some people do. Seven people every day in Australia commit suicide—did you know that? How tragic. All you have then is a sense of despair among the friends and family of the victim.

But there is an answer. Ephesians 1:4-5 says:

Long ago, even before he made the world, God chose us to be his very own through what Christ would do for us with his love. His unchanging plan has always been to adopt us into his own family by sending Jesus Christ to die for us. And He did this because He wanted to.

Life Is About Eternity

This is the point: you are here because God has put you here and he loves you. The Bible says God is love. You see, life is not a cycle, just going round and round in a treadmill. There was a beginning and there is a point of destiny, and the Bible says you and I are moving towards an appointed destiny. Life is a preparation for eternity. Ecclesiastes 3:11 says, “He has set eternity in the hearts of men”. In other words, you are made to last forever. It’s not just for 60, 70, or 80 years here but forever. And what you’re doing now is preparation forever. God has a plan and purpose for your life, and he wants you to reach out to him and establish a new relationship with him.

Hope 103.2 is proudly supported by

John 1:12 says, “…to all who receive him, Christ gives the right to become children of God”. The wonderful part of this is that Jesus Christ has done everything that is necessary for you to join God’s family. You simply ask Jesus into your life, ask for his forgiveness and commit your life to him.

Don’t live for the here-and-now—life is about eternity. Don’t be like so many who want to try everything before they’ll try Jesus. In 1 John 3:1 we read: “Consider the incredible love that the Father has shown us in allowing us to be called children of God”.

Is your life out of control? There is more to life than this moment. Ask Jesus into your life. Don’t be like the people that Larry Crabb wrote about. A therapist used to assemble a group of his patients and play a game called Top Secret. He’d ask them to write out the one thing they didn’t want anyone else to know about them—and return the paper unsigned. Over the years, one answer was the top secret. It was: I feel utterly worthless. No-one would want me if they knew me.

But God does know them—and he loves them.