Musings on Faith and Life -- 2

 What am I doing here? That's the question many people struggle with. What is my purpose in life? Isn't there some overarching plan that would explain where I fit in?

The answer is yes. There is a plan, a design and purpose. The purpose and plan is that the Almighty God who created all things did so for his own enjoyment and glory. He wants us as rational creatures to also delight in that creation, to praise him for it and to enjoy it with him. He made us in his image and part of that image is that we ourselves are creative, thinking and enjoying individuals. God delights in relationship and he wants us to delight in it as well.

God has always existed in three persons and even before creation, the three persons of the God-head had fellowship, communication and love between them. When they said, “Let us make man in our image” (Genesis 1:26) they wanted to extend that love and fellowship with a particular part of the creation, namely human beings.

Everything God does is ultimately for his glory. In Psalms 4:2 God asks, “How long, O you sons of men, Will you turn my glory to shame? How long will you love worthlessness And seek falsehood?”

Isaiah 42:8 I am the Lord, that is My name; And My glory I will not give to another, Nor My praise to carved images.

Isaiah 43:7 Everyone who is called by My name, Whom I have created for My glory; I have formed him, yes, I have made him.”

All the way through the Bible God does things for the sake of his glory and for his great name's sake.

At this point some may think, “That's what I don't like about God. He is focused on himself and seems to go around trying to prove how great he is.”

The problem with this kind of thinking is that if it were a man making these claims it would definitely be egotistical and self-serving. But here's the point. God was and is all in all. Before he created, there was nothing but him. He made creation for himself. We show a small part of God's image when we create something for our enjoyment. And when we make something like a piece of artwork, it is for us to enjoy and for others to enjoy with us. Now suppose this piece of artwork somehow had a mind of its own and said that it didn't want to look as it does or it doesn't want to be hung where you decided to hang it or it didn't want to be sold for the price you had agreed to. Wouldn't it be ludicrous for a man-made project to try to dictate its own characteristics and value? This is exactly what God thinks about our reasoning.

In Romans 9:20, God asks, “But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God? Will the thing formed say to him who formed it, 'Why have you made me like this?”'”

So my point today is that we need to remember that all of this is not about us. When we're asking the question as to why we are here or what is the meaning of life, we need to remember that the meaning at its core is that we are here for God's glory and everything we do and say is meant to exalt him and make him look good to others. If we're running around looking for ways to have the focus shift to ourselves, we will be sorely disappointed and find life to be ultimately meaningless. But if we look for ways to exalt him and demonstrate his greatness to others, we will find meaning and fulfillment in life.