Finding Meaning In LIfe

"If we are to know how to live, we must find out what God is like"  (Plato).

Saint Augustine, Bishop of Hippo, concluded:  "Our hearts are restless until they rest in Thee."

"... The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love"  (Galatians 5:6, NIV).

"It's not what you do, but how much love you put into it"  (Mother Teresa of Calcutta).

"The only really happy people are those who have learned how to serve"  (Albert Schweitzer).  

There is meaning in life, in fact, the only worldview that offers meaning in suffering is the Christian one!  It is important what you believe because ideas have consequences and we are admonished by Paul in 2 Cor. 10:5 (ESV) to "take every thought captive to obey Christ [pursue divine viewpoint]."

When we ascribe to a so-called worldview, or mental outlook (i.e., Judaeo-Christian, Postmodernism, Secular Humanism, New Age, or even Marxism); i.e., we interpret reality, not as it is, but as we are. Only God is objective and all true knowledge must originate with Him because He is omniscient or pansophic.  If you assume evolution, for instance, and this is the linchpin that holds all secular worldviews together, then there is no God, no Lawgiver, nor Judgment Day, and no hell to shun, nor absolute moral values, and neither is there any absolute truth to boot.  This is commonly referred to as moral relativism and the denial of Truth with a capital T.  Just like the cynical Pilate who asked Jesus: "What is truth?" Jesus didn't just tell us the truth, like when He made pronouncements ("Truly, truly, I say unto you..."), but was the very personification of truth itself and made it knowable through Him.

You can never know anything by making man the measure of all things and the reference point or starting point of knowledge; you must begin with God and explain the universe, not with man and explain God away ("In the beginning God...").  Humanism deifies man and dethrones God, and Postmodernism considers all knowledge relative, except what relates to their metanarrative, interpretive framework, or worldview, i.e., Christian ideas!  All secular worldviews have this in common:  They are diametrically opposed to everything Christianity stands for.

Communists must affirm unequivocally that a "Supreme Being, Creator, or Divine Ruler [i.e., God] "does not, cannot, and must not exist."  Man has irrefutable evidence for God and is without excuse (cf. Rom. 1:20); however, he suppresses this fact for moral reasons--he simply doesn't want to believe, because it's uncomfortable.  "And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge..." (cf. Romans 1:28).  Augustine, in his Confessions, wrote:  "You made us for yourself, and our hearts find no peace until they rest in you."

They refuse to "let a divine foot in the door" and begin with the presumption that the supernatural is impossible, by placing ultimate faith in the scientific method and personifying science, bringing about "scientism," whereby pronouncements are declared that aren't related to science, but philosophy or religion, for example ("The cosmos is all that is or ever was or ever will be," says Humanist of the Year (1981) recipient, astronomer Carl Sagan).  Science has become a religion, with people only putting faith in the natural and the observable.

Without the church as the "pillar and ground of the truth" (cf. 1 Tim. 3:15), we lose the anchor and value system by which to judge right and wrong, and morality becomes elusive and truth becomes a short-term contract.  Truth is relative, they say, well relative to what or to whom?  No matter which belief system you ascribe to, it isn't a matter of faith vs. rationalism or reason, but of which set of propositions you are willing to accept by faith as presuppositions.  Both systems require faith--for "all knowledge begins in faith: Socrates said that "to begin learning you first must admit your ignorance." Augustine also said similarly, "I believe in order to understand."  When we have faith, God opens our eyes and illumines us, without God we would know nothing for sure.

The viewpoint of youth today, and many do not know what they believe, is that Christians have kissed their brains goodbye, and are ill-prepared to answer the attacks on their faith; they don't even think it's defensible, and can survive in the open marketplace of ideas.  A worldview basically answers these three questions:  Where did I come from?  Why am I here? And Where am I going? The secular interpretation is that we came from blue-green algae or even nothing at all, and have no meaning or purpose in living but to seek fulfillment of instincts, and are headed toward oblivion or nothing but food for bacteria.  Jean-Paul Sartre said that "without reference to God, man is a useless passion."  Famed atheist and mathematician Bertrand Russell said that "unless you assume a God, the question of life's purpose is useless."  We were put on this planet for a purpose, to make a contribution, to leave a legacy that will outlast us.

The only worldview that gives man dignity and purpose is Christianity.  We are created in God's image and are not animals (they want to think they're animals so they can live irresponsibly like animals).  The very word "purpose" is repugnant to secularists, who deny the Anthropic Principle, for instance, that demonstrates purpose and design in nature that is perfectly suitable for mankind.  A life without purpose is lived in vain and is a waste, going nowhere!  God put us all here for a purpose as part of His plan and glory:  "The chief end of man is to glorify God, and to enjoy Him forever," says The Westminster Shorter Catechism (ca. 1646), which refers to Isaiah 43:7, which says God created man "for His glory."

We are here to make God look good and be fulfilled in Him. As Blaise Pascal, French mathematician said, "If man is not made for God, why is he happy only in God?   If man is made for God, why is he opposed to God?"  As Jesus said, "... I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly"  (John 10:10, ESV).  The eternal life with Christ begins at the point of entry into salvation (cf. John 5:24, ESV, emphasis added):  "Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has [present tense!] eternal life.  He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life."

The only way one can find true meaning in life is to know Christ because He is our Creator.  The Bible is our celestial beacon, divine GPS, and owner's manual and has everything we need to know for salvation and meaning.  We all need to know we are important, have an impact, and have an identity or are somebody that counts.  The Bible answers all these questions and gives us motivation to live to please others and God, not ourselves: A life lived selfishly is suicidal.  Pascal, famed scientist and philosopher, said that there is a "vacuum-shaped hole in our heart that only God can fill." You not only matter, but are more important to God than the whole universe or cosmos.

God is a person to be known, is personal, and gets personal and knows us personally as persons, so intimately that He numbers our hairs! We alone have a God that is knowable and not aloof and impersonal, like Allah. Muslims emphatically deny the capability of knowing God personally and of having a personal, living relationship and fellowship with Him, that inspires and motivates life and living in the here and now, but in the light of eternity.  Suddenly, when you see you have a divine purpose in being alive and can accomplish God's will, life becomes an exciting journey and relationship and even a challenge that other religions don't have.  We grow in our knowledge of God and never gain definitive knowledge of an infinite Being.  "The finite cannot grasp the infinite," says the classic maxim.

As a logical conclusion, when you deny God, you have no basis for meaning in life or to do anything but "eat, drink and be merry [cf. Isaiah 22:13]." Man then just exists, he doesn't live life to the full. Twentieth-century philosopher Will Durant asks:  "Can man live without God?"  This is the dilemma of the modern man who seems to think that "God is dead," as Friedrich Nietzsche falsely and shamelessly postulated; he was saying we didn't need Him to explain the cosmos or to find relevance--that God doesn't matter anymore.  Without God, there is no anchor on the soul, and man has but a bleak outlook and is hopeless.  We all need a sense of "ought" and understand the times to know what to do (cf. 1 Chronicles 12:32); who knows?  We may have been born "for such a time as this"  (cf. Esther 4:14).

The problem with man today: "Men have forgotten God," according to Alexander Solzhenitsyn, even if he professes a religion or even Christianity, he is a practical atheist or one who lives like one, despite a bogus profession of faith, he is only a nominal Christian or one in name only.  Man will find that there is no basis of ethics without Him, and man is free to make up his own value system or ethics as he goes along, to suit his own interpretation and situation, like:  "Listen to the God within!" Or, "If it feels like the truth to you, it is!"

Caveat:  We must beware of following Israel's footsteps in the time of the judges:  "Everyone did what was right in his own eyes"  (Judges 21:25, ESV).  It is similar today, in that people lack a moral compass, and think that morals are determined by convention, consensus, or community standards--and evolve over time.  God is the moral center of the universe and He is our Judge, we are not His judge--we answer to Him, He doesn't answer to us!  Yes, Isaiah was also right on and on the same page:  "All we like sheep have gone astray, we have turned each one of us to his own way"  (cf. Isaiah 53:6).

Rick Warren lists four purposes to live for:  as a member of His family; a model of His character; a minister of His grace; and a messenger of His good news.  We all need a philosophy of life and an interpretative framework to view the world around us and put things into perspective.

If you've ever pondered:  "Who am I?" Or, "Do I matter?" Or even, "Am I important?"  The answer is in knowing God through His revelation in Christ.  In my day people used to take time-outs and "find themselves."  You can never get found if you don't admit you're lost! You were born to fit into God's intricate plan, not for God to approve your plans--you have the destiny to be realized in Christ!

A word to the wise is sufficient:  Psalm 11:3, ESV, says, "[I]f the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?" Without God as our reference point, we lose all footing and orientation in society, and no civilization has ever been able to maintain ethics without the aid of religion, and "no society has ever survived the loss of its gods," according to playwright George Bernard Shaw. No nation has been able to maintain morals without the aid of its religion, according to Will Durant. Has the rise of Secular Humanism, which is a religion without God, eradicated Christianity from the public arena and marketplace of ideas;?

Have we come full-circle from the 1925 Scopes Monkey Trial, in which it was argued that the minds of children should be kept open and they should be taught about the theory of evolution, just to be fair?  Now, they won't let the Christian view get its point across as a viable belief system and worldview that gives meaning to all of academia and its disciplines. We must not concede everything away and lose to the Postmodernist and Secular Humanist by default and give up the ship without a college try and fight.

Let me conclude with a quote from scholar Carl F.H. Henry: "The Christian belief system, which the Christian knows to be grounded in divine revelation, is relevant to all of life." Soli Deo Gloria!

Finding Our Calling

The following verses are pertinent to finding God's will for your life:

"One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much..."  (Luke 16:10, ESV).

"... Well done, thou good and faithful servant..."  (cf. Luke 19:17, KJV).

"Therefore, do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is"  (Eph. 5:17, ESV). 

"For I know the plans I have for you, ' declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future"  (Jeremiah 29:11, NIV). 

"It's in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for.  Long before we first heard of Christ, ... he had his eye on us, had designs on us for glorious living, part of the overall purpose he is working out in everything and everyone"  (Ephesians 1:11, The Message).

"For everything, absolutely everything, above and below, visible and invisible, ... everything got started in him and finds its purpose in him" (Colossians 1:16, The Message). 

"Commit your work to the LORD, and your plans will be established" (Proverbs 16:3, ESV).

"There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death"  (Proverbs 16:18, ESV).

"Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the LORD that will stand"  (Proverbs 19:21, ESV).  

"Unless you assume a God, the question of life's purpose is meaningless."  (Bertrand Russell, mathematician, philosopher, atheist, author of the famed book, Why I Am Not A Christian).


God has uniquely gifted everyone for the ability to know His will, but it isn't an automatic given to know it, though Acts 22:14 says it has been granted Paul to know His will.  We must search for it and be willing to do it or we will never know it.  "If any man wills to do His will..." (cf. John 7:17).   Obedience and willingness are provisos to finding out God's plan.  If we are not obedient in what He has revealed, we will not be given more light.  Most people blindly go through life, the blind leading the blind, and never find their true calling--they exist, but don't live. We are meant to live for something bigger than ourselves and for something that will outlast our lives--every chord we play strikes some note that will vibrate throughout eternity, but some of us march to the beat of a different drum than the light of Scripture.  "When a man's folly brings his way to ruin, his heart rages against the LORD" (Proverbs 19:3).  Man ruins his life, then blames God, or he is a success and congratulates himself!

This life is but a dress rehearsal and a tryout for the real thing in heaven, or a stage set for eternity, and we are meant to find out what we are here for. People who don't know their purpose attempt too much! Attempt great things for God, and expect greater things from God!  The Bible is our Owner's Manual and has everything we need to know for fulfillment in life!   Many people live as if they will never die, and die as if they never lived, and don't find purpose until their later years!  What a pity that the common man sees nothing more to live for than the Epicurean philosophy of "eat, drink, and be merry for tomorrow we die" (cf. Isaiah 22:13) school of thought.  We are not to live just in the "here and now," but in "light of eternity," and "it ought to be the business of every day to prepare for our final day," according to commentator Matthew Henry.  We have the ability to see and expect the future, but with that comes the downside or drawback of being capable of worry.  We should never live in the past of regret, nor in the future of worry (paying dividends on bills we don't owe): These are the two thieves of our time and when we don't live life to the fullest it is usually this to blame.

Now, most people never even find out what they are good at, much less, their true calling in life: "God in heaven appoints each man's work" (John 3:27, NLT).  It is often said: "You missed your calling" with tongue-in-cheek.  The best we can hope for in life is to find out His will and plan for our lives, and it is never too late for God's best--He is in the business of changing lives and transforming them into the image of Christ. "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come" (2 Cor. 5:17, ESV). Christ is still in the resurrection business and can change our lives from the inside out--we don't just turn over a new leaf, but start afresh with Jesus in charge--we are changed from the inside out.

There is no greater joy, than in doing the Lord's work, but there is a curse on anyone who is slack in doing it (cf. Jeremiah 48:10).  The happiest people, it has been put, are those who are too busy trying to meet other's needs and make them happy, that they don't have time to worry about their own.  The sure recipe of a wasted life is to live it for yourself--get your eyes off yourself and live for God's will, whatever the calling--there are many callings, but the same Spirit (and that's what counts!).

Many people experience a dramatic conversion and their whole life turns around or heads in a new direction after finding Christ:  Look at how prison radicalized the life of Chuck Colson (dirty-tricks and hatchet man for Pres. Nixon, turned philosophical apologist for the faith), for instance! God puts us through the fires of adversity to make us better people, and no one is exempt, not even Christ exempted Himself. Our crosses pale in comparison to His and we should be aware that adversity, trials, sufferings, discipline, and misfortune happen to all of us and are meant for our good, and Christ can turn even the most diabolical atrocity into something good:  "You meant it for evil, but God meant it for good" (cf. Gen. 50:20). God orchestrates all events, even historically, and never loses control of His Plan. (Romans 8:28, ESV says:  "And we know that for those who love God, all things work together for good....")  We can do nothing to thwart His intentions and make God resort to a Plan B.

The most important link to finding God's will is seizing the day (going for it!), or carpe diem, or seeking God's will and recognizing it when you see it in the light of Scripture.  God will open doors, we just have to be ready to step into His will (cf. Isaiah 22:22).  When God opens a door, the impossible can become possible, because all things are possible with God (cf. Luke 1:37).  When I first became a believer, I didn't understand why my brothers in the Lord were so concerned about what God's will was:  "What would Jesus do?"  As we mature we have a greater desire to please God and live for Him and His glory: "The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever" (cf. The Westminster Shorter Catechism, ca. 1646).  "[E]veryone] who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made"  (Isaiah 43:7, ESV).  We must learn to live for Christ and not ourselves, to please others, not ourselves!

How do you know that you were not "born for such a time as this?" (Cf. Esther 4:14).  Living on purpose is the only way to live, says Rick Warren, and life makes no sense without purpose.  Life is an intricate plan of God and we are to fit into God's plans, not ask Him to fit into our plans! This is the origin of the Protestant work ethic.  When we are engaged and engrossed in God's work everything else is put into the right perspective:  "... I am doing great work, so I cannot come down..." (Nehemiah 6:3, KJV).  Motivation is primed by the right orientation:  "... [F]or the people had a mind to work" (Nehemiah 4:6, NKJV).  We want to be like Jesus at the end of our lives and be able to confess:  "... I have finished the work which You have given Me to do"  (John 17:4, NKJV).  MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!   Soli Deo Gloria!

Showing Your Colors

Ponder the correlation between suffering and glory, realizing one unique trait of Christianity--meaning in suffering (no cross, no crown):

"For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us"  (Romans 8:28, ESV).

"I, John, your brother and partner in the tribulation [suffering] and the kingdom and the patient endurance that are in Jesus..." (Revelation 1:9, ESV).

"... [And] saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God"  (Acts 14:22, ESV).

"More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance"  (Romans 5:3, ESV).

"... [And] a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed"  (1 Peter 5:1, ESV).

"And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you"  (1 Peter 5:10, ESV).

There will come a moment of truth for every believer before he is really seasoned and confirmed in the faith--when he makes his stand for Jesus.  This is not just confessing Him as Lord, but sticking up for what He stands for and risking something in the process--becoming a "confessor."  Jesus did say that we should consider the cost of discipleship and He didn't promise us a bed of roses.  In fact, He did all He could to discourage halfhearted admirers, of which there were many; however, these are not those he sought--we are not sidekicks or buddies of Christ, but worshipers and followers (a rare commodity).

The Christian way goes against the grain and is counter-cultural since we claim to know the only way to eternal life.  We would be egotistical if it was just us claiming this; however, Christ, Himself, made the claim of being the exclusive way to the Father--and He tolerates no rivals. This doesn't mean we are intolerant, which is the only vice modern man sees and they categorize believers as being.

We are called to bear a cross as believers and this doesn't mean as a fashion statement, but to be willing to suffer all and even give the ultimate sacrifice of our lives.  To be willing to go to our cross for Christ's sake, we must be absolutely convinced in our own minds:  "I know whom I have believed, and am convinced ..." (cf. 2 Tim. 1:12).  However, don't have a martyr's complex, thinking that the more you suffer, the better believe you are--and do not seek persecution or even be offensive as a person, because the offense should be in the cross.

We don't have to take the loyalty oath that first-century believers did to Caesar confessing, "Caesar is lord," but in everyday life, we are always being tested as to our devotion to Christ, and Satan is tempting us not to make Him first place in our priorities.  One reason we are to welcome suffering as friends is that it is all Father-filtered, which means God-approved, and it is guaranteed to work out for our best in the end (cf. Rom. 8:28).  God turns curses into blessings (cf. Gen. 50:20).  As they say, "Behind every cloud, there's a silver lining."

People don't turn their backs on Christ suddenly, but slowly, as they drift away and gradually lose their first love and devotion to Christ. Paul longed to participate in the "fellowship of His sufferings" (cf. Phil. 3:10).  The early disciple was glad that they were "considered worthy" of suffering for Christ's sake, to glorify Him.

How does this happen?  We run into everyday situations and conflicts that give us the opportunity to defend a Christian worldview or to preach the gospel, and we are not to be ashamed to own our Lord.  Actually, the more you stick up for Christ, the stronger your faith becomes.  As Paul said to the Philippians 1:29 (NKJV):  "For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him but also to suffer for His sake."   

There is a downside to letting people know you're a believer:  They watch your every move and listen to what you say to look for hypocrisy.  They seem to think that if you don't live up to your faith, that this nullifies it and God isn't real.  It only proves your faith isn't real, not that God isn't real. They hate hypocrites and won't go to church because they think it's full of them, yet they go to the golf club and play with hypocrites all the time and don't give it a second thought.  You will want to keep your reputation and the pressure is high as you live under a microscope of observation.  But there is no alternative because there are no secret agent believers who refuse to stand up for Jesus.

The world will approve your faith and won't object to anything unless it is pushed on them--they call evangelizing a way of forcing your viewpoints.  They don't object to anything as long as you "privatize" it!  But we are called to preach the gospel and be salt and light in the world, not to stand by and let the devil have his way.  We need a thick skin and to be certain of our faith (and assurance of salvation is not an automatic fruit), to be able to withstand the fiery darts of the evil one (with assured faith and the helmet of salvation). Tertullian of Carthage, second-century church father, said that the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church.

As Esther said, she was born "for such a time as this" (cf. Esther 4:14, NKJV).  We are not to wear our religion on our sleeve, as it were, as an excuse, but to live righteous and holy lives that God can use as a witness to a dark world blinded by Satan.  In other words, we don't go out of our way to "advertise" that we are Christians, like carrying banners but to let Christ open the door no one can close in His timing.

We must absolutely aim to give God the glory and not to seek fame or take the credit ourselves, because He is the Potter and we are the clay and He is using us as vessels of honor for His own plan and purpose   But one thing I can tell you from experience, is that you shouldn't doubt the wisdom of God, that He can make the most unpleasant events turn out for the good and we will praise Him in the end.  It is only because He is trusting us with this trial and it is an honor to be tested.

We need to anticipate being used by God, and be prepared to defend the faith, contend for the faith, according to our faith.  We all have a shot at greatness and God only holds us responsible for what He gives us:  "to much is given, much is required."  As John Milton said in Paradise Regained, "Who best can suffer, best can do."  Jesus suffered more than anyone and our crosses pale in comparison; He isn't asking us to do anything He didn't do.

We should live in light of eternity and the final declaration of Christ saying, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant."  God doesn't care about our bucket list, but in us completing His will before we check out, as it is written: "For David, after he had served the purpose of God in his own generation, fell asleep and was laid with his fathers and saw corruption"  (Acts 13:36, ESV).   Soli Deo Gloria!

Ushering In The Kingdom

Jesus told Pontius Pilate that His kingdom is not of this world.  Pilate then perceived Him to be a philosopher or harmless dreamer, but no threat to Caesar.  If His kingdom were of this world His followers would fight, but we have no such marching orders.  Many misled, though sincere believers throughout history have tried to usher in the kingdom of God, and thought that the church's job was to aid in doing it.  William Bradford, Pilgrim governor in Colonial America, said that his mission was to "advance the kingdom of Christ."  The Puritans also tried legislating Christianity in early America, but it failed and turned out to have evil fruit, such as hanging innocent women accused of witchcraft. John Calvin even tried to enforce biblical mandates on Geneva, like mandatory Sabbath observance and even forbidding anyone from naming children anything but biblical names.

Only Christ will usher in the kingdom of God and our marching orders are to fulfill the Great Commission, not to make a Christian nation. Yes, we are light and salt, but we must not lose focus and keep the main thing the main thing.  Christians are not to dedicate their lives to the betterment of society unless God calls them specifically to this.  The "social gospel is not only a misnomer but has no place in the church.  We are interested in saving souls and winning people, not becoming political activists. The Bible is meant to be a light for salvation, not government reform or social activism. Everyone has the obligation to be involved in his society that behooves a responsible citizen.

Entering the kingdom is synonymous with getting saved.  The whole purpose of announcing the kingdom of God to be at hand is to make people realize the urgency to repent and get ready for the second coming of Christ in glory.  The first words out of John the Baptist and Jesus in their ministries was to repent.  The kingdom is both present in the here and now, and future to be fulfilled at the Second Advent.  Presently Christ reigns in the hearts of His followers and we shall all reign with Him in His millennial kingdom after the tribulation period.  Jesus said that if He cast out demons by the finger of God, "the kingdom of God has come upon you."  Salvation (the fulfillment of our redemption) is nearer now than when we first believed according to Romans 13:11.

We are to do kingdom living while sojourning on this earth as pilgrims, this is not our home and we should realize that our true citizenship is in heaven (cf. Philippians 3:20).  We are just passing through and have spiritual green cards and this life is but a staging area or tryout for eternity, where each note we play has eternal vibes.  We are rehearsing for kingdom living and our faith must be tested and God wants to prove our faithfulness and reward it according to our deeds done through faith by the power of the Holy Spirit (cf. Isa. 26:12; Hos. 14:8).   Like Paul said (cf. Rom. 15:18), he would not venture to boast of anything, but of what Christ has accomplished through him.

We are not to seek nor store up treasure in this life nor to seek earthly fame, fortune, nor power, but to seek spiritual riches and to learn to live in the power of the Holy Spirit in God's kingdom.  God's kingdom is invisible and only God knows who is in it for sure or who the elect are  (cf. Mark 13:27 "... and shall gather his elect from the four winds ...").   Jesus said to "seek ye first the kingdom of heaven" and this means that our number one priority is kingdom living in God's economy, and when we put God first in our lives all else falls into place.  As it says, "all these things shall be added unto you."

The richest people are not those with worldly wealth, but those most content in what God has blessed them with and faithful stewards of our resources, time, talents, gifts, money, and opportunities. Someone has said that riches are not in the abundance of our possessions but in the fewness of our wants.  When we seek first God's kingdom all our priorities become focused on Christ and our life is oriented in the right direction and given divine purpose and meaning.  In sum, we ought to live one day at a time in light of eternity--not regretting the past, nor worrying about the future.   Soli Deo Gloria!