Hundreds of churches in Austin began a series today entitled, Explore God. The series addresses common questions … today’s question is, “Does life have meaning?”
Our pastor taught from Mark 10:17-22. The rich young ruler watched as Jesus taught the crowds and welcomed children. As Jesus started to walk off, the young man rushed to ask Jesus his burning question … what must I do to have the life of the ages? In other words, he was rich, influential, had the “good life,” but he was lacking something … he lacked a certain satisfaction. Something was missing. He knew there had to be more to life. He wanted his life to have meaning!
A British apologetic writes, ” … in a world like this, no amount of frantic searching would be able to strip [humans] of their abiding, resilient beauty, the creativity, laughter and empathy that come from being made in God’s image. But it would always be a beauty scarred, scuppered and soured by the loss of God, like a Titian painting with obscenities scribbled across it, or a lemon drizzle cake with a hornet in the icing” (Wilson, If God then what?: wondering aloud about truth, origins & redemption, p.107-108).
Mark writes that Jesus loved the young man … he had compassion on him. At the same time Jesus spoke difficult words to the man … sell it all, give it away, and follow me.
The meaning of life is determined by where we have been and where we are going. We came from the heart and imagination of God … created in His image! And if we allow the Father to redeem, restore us, we are going to find fulfillment in our relationship with Him … our longings are fulfilled in Him. Our lives have meaning because of Him!
C. S. Lewis once said, “Creatures are not born with desires unless satisfaction for those desires exists. A baby feels hunger: well, there is such a thing as food. A duckling wants to swim: well, there is such a thing as water…If I find in myself a desire, which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world.”
Does your life have meaning? Why not talk with the Father … he loves you, has compassion for you … and longs for you to find fulfillment in Him!
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