A Reason For Life
Most people seem to approach life as if it were a series of random, unrelated events that have no real purpose and are connected only because of the common thread of experience. Years of indoctrination by the philosophy behind Darwinian evolution have silenced the old notion of a reason for life, replacing it with an attitude of living for the pleasure of the moment. The result is a feeling of disconnect between the events we experience, to the point that we don’t consider long term consequences. We continue to struggle with the same issues as we repeat destructive behaviors over and over again.
That pattern is more indicative of animals that are creatures of their appetites and habits. People who live that way are always surprised by the pain that results. Instead of acting like animals we should act like people, because people have the ability to think and reason. By using thought and reason we learn to avoid painful, emotionally crippling repetition because we know there is a reason for life.
When it comes to innovation or new technology we exhibit a remarkably efficient ability to learn from the past and apply those lessons to the present. But for some reason when it comes to social or emotional issues, that learning process is ignored and we find ourselves seemingly dazed by the same problems. Because people don’t have a reason for life, those lives are spent wandering aimlessly as they hope it will all work out somehow.
God created us with purpose, and His purpose gives us a reason for life! He has given us the capacity to reason and think, not just for producing new inventions but so we could navigate the treacherous waters of “free will” successfully. As we apply thought and reason we learn to yield and change in order to maintain healthy relationships.
The Lord invites us to “come let us reason together, though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be white as snow…” (Isaiah 1:18) That is not an open-ended promise, but a call to learn from our Creator how to receive His mercy, live in His grace AND change my ways to avoid the pitfalls that separate us from Him and from each other. Disciplined learning is required from us if we are to truly realize the hope and peace of the salvation Jesus purchased for us. Step by step, line upon line, truth upon truth, change upon change, we obey what we have learned so that God can teach us more – leading us always into the light of healthy, strong relationships which are much more valuable than the latest tech-toy!
How exciting to be His people,
Pastor David Vanderpool
