Living for God
October 6, 2011
What’s the purpose of our lives?
What matters? Is it friends, Mr. Right, fame, wealth, a comfortable life? Is it to get good grades, find a good job, marry someone, have children, work, retire, relax, and then die?
These are questions I asked myself after witnessing a friend pass away from cancer at the tender age of fourteen. She was a vivacious young lady who had a great amount of zeal for life and love for her family and friends. She was often nicknamed “Miss Sunshine” as she lit up the lives of all that she had touched. I still can remember her bright smile and the warm brown eyes of her, ever patient, ever welcoming. But one day she never opened it again, falling into an eternal coma. I wasn’t that close to her but her death made me see that death wasn’t so far off as it seems, and wondered about my mortality, about life, about death. If we were going to die so soon, what meaning could our lives hold? Because in a while we would return to the same dust that we were made off, and all our pursuits--no matter the goal--seemed futile and meaningless. Think about it. If you were going to die tomorrow, would a high-flying career or money mean that much?
The more I thought about it, the more disillusioned I was. The monotonous cycle of daily life, the endless repetitions--wake up, go to school, come back from school, do homework, sleep--made me feel there was no significance in life. I didn't know who or what to live for. I was looking for a higher purpose, something that would give me a good reason to be alive.
To say it in other words, I was feeling empty. Something was missing, but I didn't know what.
Until I found God. Finding God was the most wonderful thing that ever happened to me and even saying that is an understatement to how much He has impacted and changed my life. "We have a Christ-shaped hole in all our hearts," a friend put in best. And I totally agree, for nothing can fill the void permanently except the love and joy and peace that comes from Jesus. We all yearn for Him, but in different ways (which even you may be unaware of). We try to fill in the void with material comforts like the latest iPhone, or doing activities that make us "high". However I'm sure you know from experience that the feeling of euphoria fades away really quickly, leaving the ever present gap in our hearts.
Only God can fill that gap, so I would like to say, "Start living for God today!"
If you haven't accepted Christ, I urge you to pray to accept the Lord as your personal Saviour.
(gotten from Into the Light)
The sinner's prayer must come from your heart and we hope this will help you to invite Jesus into yours. This prayer is here only as a guide. We urge you to pour out your heart to Jesus in your own words.
"Heavenly Father, have mercy on me, a sinner. I believe in you and that your word is true. I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of the living God and that he died on the cross so that I may now have forgiveness for my sins and eternal life. I know that without you in my heart my life is meaningless.
I believe in my heart that you, Lord God, raised Him from the dead. Please Jesus forgive me, for every sin I have ever committed or done in my heart, please Lord Jesus forgive me and come into my heart as my personal Lord and Savior today. I need you to be my Father and my friend.
I give you my life and ask you to take full control from this moment on; I pray this in the name of Jesus Christ."
Amen.
What matters? Is it friends, Mr. Right, fame, wealth, a comfortable life? Is it to get good grades, find a good job, marry someone, have children, work, retire, relax, and then die?
These are questions I asked myself after witnessing a friend pass away from cancer at the tender age of fourteen. She was a vivacious young lady who had a great amount of zeal for life and love for her family and friends. She was often nicknamed “Miss Sunshine” as she lit up the lives of all that she had touched. I still can remember her bright smile and the warm brown eyes of her, ever patient, ever welcoming. But one day she never opened it again, falling into an eternal coma. I wasn’t that close to her but her death made me see that death wasn’t so far off as it seems, and wondered about my mortality, about life, about death. If we were going to die so soon, what meaning could our lives hold? Because in a while we would return to the same dust that we were made off, and all our pursuits--no matter the goal--seemed futile and meaningless. Think about it. If you were going to die tomorrow, would a high-flying career or money mean that much?
The more I thought about it, the more disillusioned I was. The monotonous cycle of daily life, the endless repetitions--wake up, go to school, come back from school, do homework, sleep--made me feel there was no significance in life. I didn't know who or what to live for. I was looking for a higher purpose, something that would give me a good reason to be alive.
To say it in other words, I was feeling empty. Something was missing, but I didn't know what.
Until I found God. Finding God was the most wonderful thing that ever happened to me and even saying that is an understatement to how much He has impacted and changed my life. "We have a Christ-shaped hole in all our hearts," a friend put in best. And I totally agree, for nothing can fill the void permanently except the love and joy and peace that comes from Jesus. We all yearn for Him, but in different ways (which even you may be unaware of). We try to fill in the void with material comforts like the latest iPhone, or doing activities that make us "high". However I'm sure you know from experience that the feeling of euphoria fades away really quickly, leaving the ever present gap in our hearts.
Only God can fill that gap, so I would like to say, "Start living for God today!"
If you haven't accepted Christ, I urge you to pray to accept the Lord as your personal Saviour.
(gotten from Into the Light)
The sinner's prayer must come from your heart and we hope this will help you to invite Jesus into yours. This prayer is here only as a guide. We urge you to pour out your heart to Jesus in your own words.
"Heavenly Father, have mercy on me, a sinner. I believe in you and that your word is true. I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of the living God and that he died on the cross so that I may now have forgiveness for my sins and eternal life. I know that without you in my heart my life is meaningless.
I believe in my heart that you, Lord God, raised Him from the dead. Please Jesus forgive me, for every sin I have ever committed or done in my heart, please Lord Jesus forgive me and come into my heart as my personal Lord and Savior today. I need you to be my Father and my friend.
I give you my life and ask you to take full control from this moment on; I pray this in the name of Jesus Christ."
Amen.
Posted by JJ J.