By Chris WittsFriday 10 Nov 2023Morning Devotions with Chris WittsFaithReading Time: 1 minute
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Transcript:
Yesterday I opened up this intriguing question. What is the meaning of life?
The Meaning of Life – Part 1 — Morning Devotions
Thousands of people have thought about it, talked to their friends trying to discover some answers. And some notable and well-educated people said there is no definite answer, or you can make up your own answer. It was the famous novelist and playwright Somerset Mor who once wrote – “The secret to life is meaningless unless you discover it yourself.”
And I thought, Well, that’s an excellent observation. Why am I here? Is there more to life than just acquiring stuff or doing things? Is there a reason a purpose for my existence? Many of us keep ourselves so busy between work chores and our leisure activities that there’s really little time to think deep about the meaning of life. And occasionally, somewhere in the back of our minds, we’ve got this nagging feeling that there must be something more. There must be a purpose to our lives, something we were meant to be or to accomplish. There was once a man who wanted to know the meaning of life. He heard that there was a wise old teacher who lived far away on the tip top of a high mountain.
So he decided to seek him out, travelling across some blistering deserts and across the oceans, and after many months he climbed to the top of the mountain and found the teacher. Please, wise one, he said. What is the meaning of life? At long last, the old man replied very solemnly. Webster’s dictionary defines life as the period from birth to death. Well, that wasn’t the answer he was expecting.
As the former US president, John F Kennedy, said, efforts and courage are not enough without purpose and direction.
Knowing our purpose gives direction to our lives, Alvin Toffler said, “You’ve got to think about big things while you’re doing small things so that all the small things go in the right direction.” A life full of purpose can bring excitement and success. But that’s not everyone’s experience. Is the purpose of life to pursue happiness through comedy, music or other entertainment through enjoying fine food and some of the perks for the rich and famous? Or what about some of the great building projects or great accomplishments that will make a mark in this world and be remembered for years to come.
One wealthy man in particular experimented with all these things and more, and he came up with this conclusion. Whatever my eyes desired, I did not keep from them. I didn’t withhold my heart from any pleasure for my heart rejoiced in all my work. This was my reward from all my labour. And then I looked on all the works that my hands had done and the labour in which I had toiled and indeed all was vanity and grasping for the wind. Now those words are from Solomon from Ecclesiastes, Chapter two in the Old Testament. Solomon, third King of Israel, who built the first temple in Jerusalem. And you can read all about him in the Old Testament. A great man of wealth and wisdom.
He reigned for 40 years, and his experiments in seeking purpose in life were not halfhearted. He did find some satisfaction in the things he tried. But like the rest of us, in the quiet moments of reflection, he still wondered, is this all there is? Are these physical and temporary things really the answer as to why I was born? But here’s the crunch, the good news.
The purpose God has for our lives goes beyond our physical bodies and our temporary lives. God himself offers human beings like you and I the chance to prepare now to have a purposeful, meaningful life that will go on forever. God’s essential characteristic is love. You can read about that in 1 John 4. He created us. He gives us purpose in life because he loves us and he wants us to learn the eternal joys of complete and perfect love.
He didn’t create us to burn like a candle for a short time, but to shine like the stars forever and ever. And as we read the Bible, just when we think it can’t get any better, it does. Because not only does God want to love us and to love us forever, he wants us to become his Children, not just servants. He calls us friends. We belong to the family of God.
And that in itself gives tremendous meaning and fulfilment regardless of what’s going on around us each day. Because that fact never changes.
Let’s Pray
Heavenly Father, how grateful I am that I’ve discovered my meaning and my purpose. It is indeed an amazing thing that can come to all of us if we search for you and search with an open heart. I pray, Lord, that people who are listening to this program may understand what it is to discover the true meaning of life. And I ask that through the name of Jesus, Amen.