The Meaning of Life

Recently I was watching a re-run of "Everybody Loves Raymond". This particular episode was about a life long question we all ask. Ray's young daughter Ally wanted to know the real meaning of life. This has been a perplexing question throughout the ages and has even been a stumbling block for some, and in this case it was for Raymond.

Ready to explain the facts of life to his young daughter, he was caught off guard when she was looker for a deeper meaning which was, "Why are we here? Why did God make us?" This question no doubt deserves an answer, but Raymond couldn't supply his daughter with one. He had to run out of the room feeling inadequate. How many times have we been made to feel that way too?

Here's where the situation got my full attention. Ray's reaction got alot of laughs from the audience. I thought, do people laugh because it's a funny situation or is it from lack of knowledge that they don't know either? If this is meant to be funny, I thought how sad it is then that the majority of people really don't know!

Not only was Raymond stumped by the question, but his whole family as well. For the first time, they were all at a loss of words. Ray's dad response was, "It's simple, you're born, you go to school, you get a job and then you die." A little shallow don't you think? It doesn't leave much to look forward to. His mother on the other hand knew the answer was in the Bible...somewhere, only she didn't know exactly where. All her religious upbringing had not prepared her for this most important question! I would like to know why not? What are we being taught in our churches on this subject anyway?

But Deborah, his wife responded with what I considered to be the most intelligable answer of all. She said, "You can't find the answer flipping through the Bible." Actually that's true. The Bible cannot be used as a reference book taken out of context. God's Word is not meant to be sampled like a plate of desserts, picking and choosing only the parts that appeal to your taste buds.

On the contrary, His Word is a double edged sword. One side will cut to the marrow, while the other side heals. Everyone knows that in order to heal, something must first be broken.

If we find the question of our very existence as being the brunt of a comedy, then we should probably stop and examine our relationship with God on a serious level. It's time to reevaluate what is broken in our lives so that we can start to heal. A true relationship with the Creator is not all about asking questions...it's about finding the answers!

Having a strong, secure relationship with God will then answer this life long question.

Romans 8:28 "We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him and who have been called according to His purpose."

This verse tells us immediately that we all have a purpose, what is it?

Romans 12:2 "Let God transform you inwardly by a complete change of your mind. Then you will be able to know the will of God, what is good and is pleasing to Him and is perfect."

Now we know that we have a purpose and a will, but what is that will? Remember, it's about getting the answers, and here it is...

2 Corinthians 3:18 "As the Spirit of the Lord works within us, we become more and more like Him and reflect His glory even more."

Therefore in reading and understanding these 3 passages, we find out that God put us here for a reason. And that is to be in fellowship with Him. God loves all His children, no matter how good or bad they are. He doesn't condemn us, but by the power of the Holy Spirit, He will convict us.

Ephesians 1:5 "His unchanging plan has always been to adopt us into His own family by bringing us to Himself through Jesus Christ."

God's plan has never changed, He is the same yesterday, today and forever more. That's wonderful news to know that He is always waiting with open arms to take us in. It's up to us as individuals to make that choice, that's how much He loves us. We can understand this better if we have ever had to let go of our own child, knowing that they may be making the wrong choice. If you love something set it free, if it's truly yours it will come back. That's the concept of God's love for us.

So, to sum this all up, the answer that Raymond shoul