Why we are here...
(Scriptural answers)
Remember those warm summer
nights, as a child, when you gazed up to the
clear, moonless sky at the myriad of stars --and
wondered WHAT or WHO was out there?
The perspective of the Milky Way Galaxy across the
sky made one feel so insignificant --almost
guilty-- for enjoying such a sheltered, 75-degree
F., evening on this protective blue orb we call
"Earth".
So, while everything we saw in
the heavens, back then, made us seem unworthy, at
the same time, it made us feel privileged and
SPECIAL, too!
That’s exactly the feeling of
awe, respect, reverence, comfort and special-ness
one gets –the kind of feeling that sends shivers down the
spine-- as we delve into the Scriptural
perspective of why we are here, what our purpose
is, how privileged and blessed we are, and how
seemingly-unworthy, but much loved we are,
nevertheless.
The Bible tells us that God is
a Loving God1 and made us for His purpose.2
Our first duty is to
voluntarily love God. And our second duty is to
love or neighbours as ourselves.3--remembering
that while we are from God, we are also part of
one-another.
We’re here to learn to work
together, to grow in consciousness, to grow in
love, to grow in wisdom and to personally, and
voluntarily, develop spiritually closer to God,
and towards righteousness in our deeds through
self control, discipline and with the help of His Holy
Spirit.
If this all seems confusing,
think of your hoped-for relationship with your own
children. You love them, cherish them, guide them,
help teach them the values of good behaviour, of
good character, of honesty and of love. You do the
best that you can to prepare them for their free-will
decisions of life. They are your greatest joy
--and at times, you greatest grief. But you
fundamentally love them, deeply, because they are
a part of you.
As we work through the
challenges, the trials and tribulations and pains
(starting with those of child birth), we realize
that we could not appreciate or value the
treasures, the laughter, the joy and the bliss
that life offers if we were not the free-will
agents that God made us as, but were, instead,
mere puppets on a string.
Poet, Robert Service,
half-jokingly, half-cynically, referred to the
human condition as “Gods Comic Cosmic Plan and
God’s greatest joke is Man!” What are the
alternatives?
Whether we strive to
“make a difference”, or merely endure to the end,
reflect on the lesser attractiveness of any
potential alternative realities, (or
non-realities), and just try to savour the
mystery, the sheer love and beauty of our
existence, our human fellowship and ALL the other
blessings that life has to offer ---as we jointly
struggle to fulfill our God-given potential.
__________________
1
John 3:16;
For God so
loved the world, that he gave his only begotten
Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not
perish, but have everlasting life.
Ephesians 3:19;
And to know the love of Christ, which passeth
knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the
fulness of God.
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