By Chris WittsWednesday 26 Apr 2023Morning Devotions with Chris WittsFaithReading Time: 1 minute
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Transcript:
I recall seeing the movie ‘City Slickers’, where actors Jack Palan and Billy Crystal are talking together. Jack asks Billy, “Do you know what the secret of life is? I’ll tell you one thing. I know, he said. Just one thing. Stick to that and everything else don’t mean anything.” And Billy said, “Yeah, and what’s the one thing?” Jack Pol says, “Oh, well, that’s what you’ve got to figure out.” It wasn’t much help, not much help in that conversation. I have a feeling that many people are in that situation.
They’ve got to figure it out, figure out the main purpose for life. I think our lives do need context they need. There’s a need for meaning, a larger narrative in which our own personal story can make sense. It was Robert Byrne who said that the purpose of life is a life of purpose. When Aristotle was asked about the meaning of life, he said, You’ve got to be aware of yourself.
Think of this story
A devout Christian lady, aged 94 attends a Lutheran church, and she was asked why she still went to church every week at her age. Her answer. “Because it helps me to be a better person.” I think that’s great. It’s so positive and encouraging, isn’t it? A 94 year old woman wanting to do that. And other people say, well, a happy life means to love each other and to help each other. We should respect ourselves and everyone else and with all my friends around me, my life is so meaningful. We see people who are very busy running this way and that, busy with their work and their family recreation.
But will I be remembered in 100 years? Time? Does my life make any sense? Do you ever wake up wondering? Is that all there is? Do we struggle to find meaning and fulfilment? And I think many people do. They’re confused, trying to find answers and to feel really secure. Can I suggest we need to look to God, our Heavenly Father. That’s where true meaning, security and purpose comes from. God is our creator, our father, who provides us with love and acceptance, and the Bible talks a lot about his unconditional love. Now why does it say that? I think it’s there to give us security. It means that God created us for a purpose, to love and serve him now and into eternity. And that’s real significance. If I know that I’m secure and significant, nothing anybody says to me will ever destroy that fact because it’s not about how I feel. It’s what God’s word says to me. That’s actual fact. Do you remember? Jesus said, I am the door, he said. I have come that they will have life and have it abundantly. So you see, Jesus is the secret of a meaningful life. And as simple as that sounds, it’s really entirely correct. It reminds me of the man who saw the bumper sticker that said Jesus is the answer and he said So really, what’s the question?
So what does it mean to say that Jesus is the secret to meaningful life, he said. I came that you might have life and have it abundantly.
And he said that in the context of just having said something else, I am the good shepherd, he said. So he is the one who can take care of our lives and make them meaningful. So the meaning of life, that’s a big question. It’s not about figuring things out or having things. Finding meaning comes from being sheep, actually of the good shepherd. The secret of life is not trying to find that secret ourselves, but trusting God to give to us.
Why is it that more people don’t find meaningful lives? And why do we claim to have many, you know, varied opinions on this? Well, you know that a third of our world’s population claim they believe in Jesus, but really, most of them are trying to do it in their own strength to make their own lives meaningful. We have to let go and let God.
It means not trying to find or make that meaning up ourselves but trusting God to give us the meaning to life. Because God gives us forgiveness and grace and hope and endurance in times when we will face pain or grief. If we let go and let God take care of us, then we can live all seasons of life. You know, the good and the bad, and that we can have meaning and purpose.
So that’s why when our days are dark and empty. If we don’t have a relationship with God, there can be a sense of futility, Augustine said. He who has God has everything and he who does not have God, has nothing. He who has God and everything has no more than he who has God alone.
Let’s Pray
Well, Heavenly Father, we pray for courage to step out of our boundaries and to make change when that’s necessary. Give us the strength to change. Bless us, Lord, with your love and grace, and I ask it in Jesus name, Amen.