There is a perspective that everyone has a World View, whether they think about it or not, and a World View must include four pieces to be complete. These pieces are Origin – Where does everything come from? Morality – What is the source of right and wrong? Meaning – Why are we here? and Destiny – What happens after earthly death?

I think most Christians have a good handle on Origin, Morality, and Destiny, but I think we don’t have clarity on the Meaning topic. Why are we here?

St. Paul addresses this very succinctly in Romans 11:36, writing “For everything comes from Him and exists by His power and is intended for His glory. All glory to Him forever! Amen.”

Dear Lord, help us remember that all you have made, including us and everything we have, comes from you and is intended to glorify you. Help us live this. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Have you ever been driving in heavy traffic, and realized, too late, that your exit was coming up. Traffic was too heavy for you to make it across the lanes and you miss your exit? Or have you been in a sports stadium or concert venue walking in a large crowd, and realize that you walked right past your section because you were moving along with the crowd.

In some ways life can be like this. We get so wrapped up in things of this world, chasing earthly things we think will make us satisfied, money, power, experiences, that we neglect our relationship with God and fall away. When we neglect our faith, we become more vulnerable to temptation and can be easier led astray. In Matthew 7:13,14 Jesus says, “For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”

It is essential that we keep our eye on that “small gate and narrow road” Jesus describes by maintaining our faithful relationship with God.

John writes in 1 John 5:21, “Dear children, keep away from anything that might take God’s place in your hearts.”

Dear Lord help us keep our focus on you and put the energy into maintaining our faith so that we don’t end up blindly following the easy path to destruction. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

“Fear the Lord, you his godly people, for those who fear him will have all they need.” Psalm 34:9.

This is one of the many verses in the Bible that tell us to fear God. Many people have a difficult time with the concept of fearing God.

God loves us all and wants us all to be saved. 1 Timothy 2:4 writes, “God our savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth”

Why would we fear this God?

CS Lewis describes this in the Chronicles of Narnia, describing Aslan the Lion, who represents God in the Story, like this:
“Aslan is a lion- the Lion, the great Lion.” “Ooh” said Susan. “I’d thought he was a man. Is he-quite safe? I shall feel rather nervous about meeting a lion”…”Safe?” said Mr Beaver …”Who said anything about safe? ‘Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good. He’s the King, I tell you.”

We are to fear and love God, like a child would his/her powerful and loving earthly father. The child respects his father’s abilities, and knows that his father has absolute power over him, but also knows that his father would sacrifice everything for him.

Dear Lord, if we just recognize your awesome power, how could we not fear, but if we could just recognize how much you love us, we would follow your will. Help us know your power and love. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

I remember teaching my children how to swim. Once they could keep their head above the water, “doggy paddling,” we would put them a little further away from the side of the pool each time, and they would paddle to the pool’s edge. Occasionally they would run out of energy and not be able to make it to the side of the pool without a bit of help, but my wife or I were right there waiting to keep them from going under.

In a way, this is how God trains us. He will help us develop our trust in him, and perseverance, by letting us experience something we may not think we were capable of handling, but as we progress and stay in faith, when we think we cannot make it, God will be right there to give us enough help to complete the task.

Deuteronomy 31:8 says, “Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; he will neither fail you nor abandon you.”

God will not fail you. When you feel you cannot take any more, or cannot go any further, put your trust in God, he will be there to give you the support you need.

Dear Lord, you tell us many places in the Bible that you will not fail or abandon us. Help us remember this, and live with the confidence that if we are experiencing difficult times, they are there to strengthen us not to hurt us. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

There is a popular author whose thesis is that in order to achieve things in life, we need to make ourselves vulnerable. We have to put our ideas out in public and risk being criticized. For most people, this is a frightening idea.

In a similar way, to grow and be everything God wants us to be as Christians, we need to do the same thing; to live our lives openly as Christians without excuse or apology. The difference is that we know God is there supporting us when we make ourselves vulnerable for him.

Psalm 25:3 says, “No one who trusts in you will ever be disgraced, but disgrace comes to those who try to deceive others.”

Dear Lord, Thank you for the assurance that you, the most powerful force in existence, are there to support us when we honor you. Help us trust in you and live our lives as Christian examples, glorifying you. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.