Alive with Meaning

"Then the word of the LORD came through

the prophet Haggai:

'Is it a time for you yourselves to be living 

in your paneled houses,

while this house remains a ruin?'

Now this is what the LORD Almighty says:

'Give careful thought to your ways.

You have planted much, but have harvested little.

You eat, but never have enough.

You drink, but never have your fill.

You put on clothes, but are not warm.

You earn wages, only to put them

in a purse with holes in it.'"

Haggai 1:3-6

I spent hours slaving in the hot sun hoeing, weeding, fertilizing, spraying for pests and watering. The vine was huge and luscious, taking up an entire area of my garden.  There were tons of blossoms, seemingly indicating that our yield would be high.  But in the end, we only enjoyed one cantaloupe from that plant.  I felt like I wasted a lot of time.

I sometimes feel the same way with my life.  I put a lot of effort into my character, my career, my family and my friendships, with very little to show for it.  It seems like the outcome does not match up with the input.  It reminds me of riding a stationary bike: I pedal and pedal but never get anywhere.

King Solomon talked about the futility of living only in my won strength and for my own purposes, effectively working against God.  He said, "Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain.  Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain.  In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat--for he grants sleep to those he loves."  (Psalm 127:1-2)  I can do all the right things but if God hasn't blessed a thing, it won't flourish.

I want to live my life in a way that glorifies God, but it's hard to do that when I'm the center of my own attention.  

Heartless Efforts

There are 66 books in the Bible broken down into 31,101 verses, 783,137 words and 6,468 commands.   As overwhelmingly voluminous as it seems, if I resolved to read God's Word aloud it would take me about 70 hours or just under three days time.  

There is a lot of information to learn, absorb and heed found within the pages of the Bible.  I can dedicate my life to doing what it says and in fact many people do just that.  The danger, however, is that my relationship with God can become nothing more than a cold, heartless religion filled with an endless list of do's and don'ts.  Unfortunately, many have fallen into this legalistic trap, boiling the Christian life down to an attempt to follow His commandments to the letter, thus forgetting the grace of God.

It is easy for me to look at the overwhelming list of laws found in God's Word and forget that I am unable to do as God says in my own strength.  I can try but either my flesh will be weak and falter or my attitude will be wrong and I'll fail.  Instead, it is necessary for me to be "led by the Spirit. . . " (Galatians 5:18) which produces, "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.  Against such things there is no law."  (v 22-23)

I may ask myself, what is wrong with me at least trying to do the right thing?  As long as I go to church, read my Bible, pray, take communion and do all the other things I'm so supposed to do I should be pleasing God, right?

Well, this is the same trap that the Israelites fell into during the time of Isaiah the prophet.  On the surface, it seemed His people were doing right but God knew their heart.  Consequently, He delivered the following message to his wayward people.  "The multitude of your sacrifices--what are they to me?  I have more than enough of burnt offerings. . . . Stop bringing meaningless offerings!  Your incense is detestable to me. . .When you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide my eyes from you: even if you offer many prayers, I will not listen."  (Isaiah 1:11,13,15)

On the outside, it seemed like God's people were doing everything they were called to do; they offered sacrifices, presented offerings, burned incense, met together, commemorated celebrations and prayed.  God, however, could see their hearts.  He could see the malice, gossip, back-stabbing, hatred, coldness toward their fellow man, the complacency, self-righteousness and anger.  They were going through the motions be were not letting God himself into their lives, giving Him a chance to fundamentally change them.

This problem was not confined to Isaiah's time.  Unfortunately, it is prevalent today and is easily found within my own heart.   I can religiously attend church services every Sunday but callously ignore my neighbor's suffering.  I can rise early every morning to give myself enough time to study God's Word but pitilessly ignore the plight of the widow who is suffering in loneliness.   I can spend hours serving within the four walls of the church building but fail to share the gospel with the lost soul who exercises next to me each day in the gym.

God is calling me to live my life in submission to Him instead of spending my time doing what I think I should do to please Him.  

Shallow Existence

The greens of the carrots looked pretty good, but when I pulled the root from the ground it was short and squat.  The loose, loamy soil was too shallow, causing the tuber to hit the hard, unforgiving clay before it was fully developed.  Consequently, it had to expand out where the soil was conducive to growth.  I soon found that in order for a carrot to develop into a long, healthy variety I had to plant the seed in fine,well-worked soil that went deep.  

In a similar way, I can find myself like those short, squat carrots living a shallow existence.  This happens when I try to find meaning and satisfaction in material things or even in reaching my own aspirations.  

It is easy, for instance, to get caught up in all the amazing new technology, attempting to keep abreast of new innovations that will improve my life and bring me much joy.  

I am also easily lured into the trap of seeking to own a certain celebrity's "favorite things" thinking those items will make my life complete.  

My passions can effortlessly turn toward hobbies, gobbling up hours of my time in pursuits that bring me much pleasure but do nothing to further God's Kingdom.

Jesus compared His followers to sheep and himself to the gate providing access to His kingdom.  He said, "whoever enters through me will be saved.  He will come in and go out and find pasture.  The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full."  (John 10:9-10)

When I profess Jesus as my Savior, He has promised me an abundant life filled with meaning and purpose.  But many times I find myself following another master who sucks the life out of me.  I begin to live for pursuits that mean nothing in God's Kingdom and fritter away my time doing pointless pastimes. 

Maybe this is why I often feel useless or as if much of my life has been a waste.  I find myself dreaming of how I could spend my future but it usually has to do with my own sense of pleasure and comfort.  But God has a better plan: a design that is focused on pleasing Him, getting to know Him and to make Him known to a hurting world.    

God is calling me to live a life dedicated to following Him as the source of all purpose and significance.

Meaningless Work

Nine Inch Nails has a song called, "Every Day is Exactly the Same,"  which expresses the sentiment felt by many who work a regular job.  The routine becomes monotonous and it's easy to feel hopeless and as if the hours I spend are a waste of time.  

Many of us have invested years of our lives into careers which promised good benefits and a decent living while doing what we love to do.  After throwing myself into the day-to-day grind for years on end, I have nothing of true value to show for it.  The costs of living and raising a family ate up all the pay and the guaranteed nest-egg has yet to hatch.  What do I have to show for my life?

Jesus addressed the problem of dedicating my life to the pursuit of happiness and providing for my necessities.  He said, "These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs.  Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need." (Matthew 6:32-33)

If I make it my life's work to see where God is working around me then I will know where He wants me to go.  If, however, I live my life chasing money, recognition or power, my life will be one endless repetition of insignificance.

In God's hands, even the most mundane task can become significant, the routine can become powerful and the boring can take on new meaning.  Working for money leads to a dead end but doing it all for the glory of God guides me to riches only found outside of this world.

God is calling me to live a life dedicated to His kingdom.

I live in a culture that encourages me to focus on myself and to live a life dedicated to my own comfort and sense of indulgence.  But God has a higher calling for those who follow Him.  He has more for me than just a heartless effort, shallow existence and meaningless work.  Instead, He calls me to wholehearted devotion to Him, deep living and significant labor.  Then this life that God has given me will come alive with meaning as I live for Him instead of aiming to please myself.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I will live my life in hopeless abandon to You.

How much time do I spend devoted to pleasing God as compared to pleasing myself?

When do I feel burned out as I run after the wrong things?