by Katie Erickson When I heard this week’s question of what is the purpose to life, I have to admit I was tempted to write a 2-character blog post: “42.” Fans of the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy will know, of course, that 42 is the answer to the question of life, the universe, and everything. What is the purpose to life ranks right up there with that question, and it’s a question that I’m sure everyone has asked at some point in their lives. If you’ve been through a life milestone such as a graduation ceremony, you’ve probably heard the familiar verse of Jeremiah 29:11: “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’” The context around this passage is significant, but generally speaking we do learn from it that God has a plan and a purpose for each one of us. But what about the purpose of life as a whole? Why did God even create us on this planet? I think the first part of the answer lies in how God created us. In Genesis 2:7, we read that, “Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.” Earlier in Genesis 1:26-27, we read that God created mankind in His own image. God is a Trinity - three distinct persons who are in complete community and make up one God. God is a God is relationship and community, even in His very nature. But God seemed to want more than just community within Himself; God wanted to have a Creation to love, so He created the earth and everything in it (Psalm 24:1; Colossians 1:16), including humankind. So what is our purpose? Check out the entire chapter of Isaiah 43. Even though that was written directly to the people of Israel, it applies to all who follow God today. Here are a few specific verses that illustrate our purpose on earth. Verse 7 says, “everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.” Verse 21 says, “the people I formed for myself that they may proclaim my praise.” Verse 25 says, “I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more.” These verses show us that God created us for His glory, that we may praise Him, and so He can love and forgive us. I don’t know about you, but I can’t imagine a greater purpose in life than simply to love and be loved by the amazing, almighty God, the Creator of the universe! God created you and me and every human who has ever or will ever live solely so that we can worship and glorify Him. How are you showing God’s glory in your life? What are you doing to worship God with your life?
2 comments:
This post brought to mind a quote from C.S. Lewis in Mere Christianity: " This is the whole of Christianity. There is nothing else. It is so easy to get muddled about that. It is easy to think that the Church has a lot of different objects—education, building, missions, holding services. Just as it is easy to think the State has a lot of different objects—military, political, economic, and what not. But in a way things are much simpler than that. The State exists simply to promote and to protect the ordinary happiness of human beings in this life. A husband and wife chatting over a fire, a couple of friends having a game of darts in a pub, a man reading a book in his own room or digging in his own garden— that is what the State is there for. And unless they are helping to increase and prolong and protect such moments, all the laws, parliaments, armies, courts, police, economics, etc., are simply a waste of time. In the same way the Church exists for nothing else but to draw men into Christ, to make them little Christs. If they are not doing that, all the cathedrals, clergy, missions, sermons, even the Bible itself, are simply a waste of time. God became Man for no other purpose. It is even doubtful, you know, whether the whole universe was created for any other purpose."
I am overwhelmed at the thought that God may have created the universe for the simple purpose of sharing Himself with us and drawing us into Him.
Thanks for the great comment, Michael!
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