That question has kept philosophers busy for centuries. Lots of people think they have an answer. The world is full of religious ideas and "feel good" pop psychology.
Humanists will tell you that you're here to please yourself - that man is the ultimate authority - that there is no God to be bothered with.
You can hobnob with spiritualists who will channel for you and introduce you to a "familiar spirit" who will guide you into supernatural knowledge. (More about this in the next issue of Demonic Deceptions Monthly).
You can join the Hollywood elite in Transcendental Meditation and spend hours contemplating your "divine nature" while chanting something deep and enlightening like "om."
You can join a cult (take your pick) and have some con-man turn your mind to mush while he cleans out your 401k.
WHAT MOST OF US DO
Or you could do what most people in America do. Shrug the whole thing off as "unknowable" and muddle through your life without a clue. This is a sad and empty way to live. Trust me, I know. I did it for 25 years.
If you haven't found your way to God's acquaintance yet, then you know what that empty feeling is. That feeling of wondering why you are here. The nagging ache that reminds you, in quiet moments, that you don't really know where you belong. The longing for some peace and assurance that there is purpose and meaning in this existence.
And most tragically, you could be one of the many people who come to the end of life, frightened and alone, and regretting the waste of it. How many people die without the assurance of heaven, and pass unto death fearful (and rightly so) of the unknown destiny that awaits them? How many people die without ever really knowing why they lived?
SOMETHING IS MISSING
Yet even in our spiritual darkness, we sense that something is missing. We observe the wonders of nature. We experience the passions of love. We marvel at the birth of a child. Experiences like these hint to us that there is more to life than this purely physical dimension. Most of us intuitively realize that there is a force beyond our understanding; a designer who holds the universe in order.
And this force, this designer, is the Almighty God who loves us! He is the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. He is the creator of all that is. And he has been planning since the beginning of time to bring each one of us into his eternal family. He has a purpose for every human life he created.
Even yours.
The Bible teaches us that we are God's special creation, made in his image. But because of Adam's rebellion, spiritual death came upon the human race. As a result, we are born spiritually blind. We are too selfish to live peacefully in this life; we are totally unfit for paradise. We cannot know God or comprehend his goodness and power.
That is why Jesus came. That is why he had to die. As God, he could offer the perfect sacrifice that would open the gates of heaven for us. His death paid the penalty for our sin. His later resurrection is our proof that he has the power to grant eternal life to all who will follow him.
As a man, he could show us how to live in the power of God's spirit. His life has introduced us to the living God whom we are too blind too see.
Jesus is the ultimate revelation of God's love. From his actions we can clearly see how much God loves us. From his teachings, we can begin to understand what God wants from us.
WHAT GOD REALLY WANTS
All God really wants you to do is give up. As in surrender. Give up your stubborn pride and admit that God is bigger than you. Admit that he ultimately is in control of all you have. Give up your life to him. Ask him to come into your heart and show you how to live. Admit that you have sinned against him (as have we all) and ask him to forgive you.
When you do this, wonderful things begin to happen. You are born again. God's spirit comes to live inside of you, and that aching emptiness disappears. You will have passed from spiritual death to eternal life!
If you're honest enough to look inside of yourself and admit that you need God, then you can ask him into your life right now with a prayer like this:
"God, I have my doubts. Please heal my unbelief. I know I don't deserve your mercy, and I've spent my life sinning against you. Dear Jesus, I ask you to forgive me, cleanse me and make me whole. I want to know your love and your friendship. I want your love to fill the emptiness in my soul. I give you my life today, Lord, and I ask you to take me into your family. I want to live my life doing what you created me to do. I want to know that I am destined for heaven."If you have given your heart to Jesus just now, you are a brand new creation, a new citizen of God's kingdom, and you have begun a wonderful new journey into eternal life. You need to find a friend who knows the Lord. He or she will be glad to help you understand the awesome gift you have just received.
Your friend will help introduce you to the Bible and help you discover the friendship of fellow believers in a good church. Welcome to God's family!
