Why we are here defines what is important

Why we are here defines what is important


Why are we here? We are here to form righteous characters, follow God, and to serve others. The wisest man who ever lived, Solomon, wrote: “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter. Fear God and keep His commandments for this is the whole duty of man.” (Eccl. 12:13) The whole duty, not a side interest while we pursue worldly “success” John Mark and Doctor Luke echo this: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.” (Mark 12:30, Luke 10:27) The emphasis is on the word ALL. The prophet Micah in Micah 6:8, writes: “He has shown thee oh man what is good, and what does the Lord require of thee, but to do justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with thy God.”
Over and over again the Bible writers emphasize our purpose in living is to help others. “I give you a new commandment that you love one another, just as I have loved you.” (John 13:34) “You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Lev. 19:18, Matt. 19:19, John 15:12)
God defines why we are here, it is not ours to decide. God, our Creator and Sustainer, tells us “You are not your own. You are bought with a price.” (1 Cor. 6:19,20)
This life is important because it is my only chance, by God’s power, to prepare my character for eternity. My time on earth is important because it is time spent in helping others and witnessing for my Lord. This life is important because God is using me to show His love to others. But in these reasons and only these, is it important in the grand scheme of things. We are the bride of Christ and our whole concentration is on preparing for the coming of the Bridegroom- with All of our mind and strength and soul and heart. A bride sits, fingering the lace of her wedding gown, waiting for the time in keen anticipation- looking forward to a life of shared love that grows with each passing day- looking forward to the coming of the groom who has promised to love her forever and to always be there with her and for her. We are that bride.
We do not discount this life- we put it into perspective. If we follow Him this life will have fulfillment and peace and joy, “I came that they might have life and have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10) “Thou shall keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Thee.” (Isa. 26:3) “But the fruits of the Spirit is love, joy, peace.” (Gal. 5:22) These are values of the heart. The body may have troubles, illness, poverty, stress- but these values are possible through God’s gift of them to us. We have no guarantees of being appreciated, or loved, or of wealth or prestige. These are not important to our purpose. Our earthly success or accomplishments are not our purpose. (If it serves God’s purpose His followers may become people of prestige and power and riches, as in Moses, Abraham, Jacob, Esther, Mordecai, David and Solomon. If it serves His purpose His followers give up their successful businesses to serve Him, as in Matthew and James and John. The disciples and apostles were not recorded to be men of worldly wealth but were men wholly dedicated to fulfilling their purpose in life. Jesus had “not a place to lay His head” yet lived the most important and purposeful life the world has ever known.)
Life on earth does not give you peace or joy or fulfillment. It distracts you from your God-given purpose. Life here, though it screams for your attention, trying to drown out the voice of God, is hollow. “All flesh is like grass and its glory like the flowering of grass.” (1 Pet. 1:24) “Yet you do not even know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes…” (James 4:13-17) “Time and chance happen to them all…no one can anticipate the time of disaster.” (Eccl. 9:11-12) “Vanity of vanities, says the Teacher, all is vanity.” (Eccl. 12:8) As the song says: “This world is not my home, I’m just a stranger here.” In this world Christians are “aliens and exiles” (1 Pet. 2:11) It is said of Christians: “But they desire a better country, a heavenly.”(Heb. 11:16) We look forward to going home “to the city that has foundations, whose architect and builder is God.” (Heb. 11:10)
The ending of this life is so much different for the Christian whose priority is a relationship with God and serving his fellow man. He does not go out scratching and clawing to hold on to life with both hands because this life is not that important. When I die, I may fear death because I am human and fear the “unknown”, but if I do this will be a ridiculous fear because it is NOT the unknown. I know it is a sleep without consciousness, and I know The next conscious thought is when I see Jesus coming again in the clouds of glory and I see an angel reaching out his hand for me, to take me to me Saviour. (1Thess. 4:16, Eccl. 9:5,6) If it is a conscious moment, I should raise my hand to grasp that of the angel coming for me, because that is, for me, reality. The priority of our life as Christians is to be with the Lord, not to hang on to this sinful sphere. Christ at this death uttered the words: “Into Thy hands I commend my spirit.” Stephen, at his death, prayed: “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” (Acts 7:59) The great heroes of the Reformation showed they were looking forward to heaven, not hanging on to this world. Just before his death John Calvin stated he looked forward to a “happy resurrection.” Huldreich Zwingli, dying from wounds in battle with Catholic armies, said “What does it matter. The body they can kill, but not the soul.” Martin Luther’s last words were: “Father into thy hands I commend my spirit. Thou hast redeemed me God of truth.” John Huss, just before dying at the stake, spoke: “In the truth of the gospel, which I have written, taught, and preached, I will die today with gladness.” Jerome of Prague sang hymns on the way to his execution and told the executioner who was to light the fire around him: “Come forward boldly; apply the fire before my face. Had I been afraid, I should not be here” His lips continued to move in prayer as the fire consumed him. Truly they all followed the Bible admonition: “Take no thought for your life.” (Matt. 6:25)
In the service of God there will be things that happen to the Christian that he would not will; discomfort, sorrow, illness, death of family members, his own death. He will not understand why these things are happening. He will echo Job “Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know.” (Job. 38:42) God created me. He gives me life every moment. He has the right as my Creator and Sustainer to do with my life as He wishes. God loves me with an everlasting love. There is no question about that- Christ answered that on the cross. Therefore, if God sees fit that my life has trials or ends, I accept that “My ways are not your ways” and His decision was made in love. For years Christians have prayed “Thy will be done”- this is an acceptance of God being smarter than we are, of placing our lives totally to take or use as He sees fit, according to His Divine will. Will we ever understand why these things happen while we are on this earth? To be able to do so would be knowing the mind of God. The Bible gives us glimpses “through a glass darkly” but only in time eternal will we understand, and maybe not even then. Our understanding is not important- only our faith in our Savior. Throughout recorded history Christ has been leading us and guiding us in love. This same Jesus we worship and love because of His sacrifice is the same God that created the world, spoke from the burning bush, watched over the children of Israel in the pillar of fire by night, that serves as our intercessor and priest in the heavenly sanctuary now, and that will come again as conqueror, king, shepherd, priest and judge. This same Jesus will walk and talk with us in the New Jerusalem and will be our glorious light, so much so that there will be no need for sun or moon (Rev. 21:22) Do we understand this?- no more than we understand creation, His resurrection, or His incarnation. We live for and look forward to what we do not understand, for the Bible tells us: “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the human heart conceived, what God has prepared for those who love Him.” (1 Cor. 2:9) Humans, in their pride of heart, question what they do not understand. Christians accept the mind of God, and do not expect to understand until it is revealed to them.
All we need to know is “All things work together for Good to them that love God.” (Rom. 8:22), and that why we are here defines who we are, even in heaven, on the sea of glass before the pearly gates- “Here is a call for the endurance of the saints. Those who keep the commandments of God and hold fast to the faith of Jesus.” (Rev. 14:22, 12:17)