Monday,
February 15, 2021
I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” John 16:33
Billy
Graham said I know where I’ve come from. I know why I’m here. I know where I’m going- and I have peace in my
heart. His peace floods my heart and
overwhelms my soul![1]
This
was shared as part of Dr. Graham’s last public message; I think it makes perfect
sense of the foundational need of every human being, particularly during this
season of angst. Let’s unpack the three
greatest questions of human existence, and the reality which answers all of
them.
1.
The Question of Origin – where did I come from?
Charles Darwin spent his life looking for the answer to this question and has been a major influence on humanity’s thinking for several generations. But his thesis of natural selection misses the mark somewhat. He posits how we evolved, but not the deeper question of how there was any beginning point…in short, what was life’s origin that eventually evolved into what we are now? It matters little if you are “old earth” or “young earth” in your thinking; the real question is, whatever age the earth is, and its inhabitants, how did the earth get here. For Billy Graham, the answer is:
In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. Genesis 1:1.
2.
The Question of Purpose – why am I here?
Once
the question of origin is settled, that we are here by God’s creative hand, it
becomes possible to address the question of purpose. From human existence we glean that every
creation begins with a purpose of the Creator.
A clock maker creates a clock to display time. A computer programmer designs a system to
make sense of data. God also has a
design for us, a purpose. That purpose
is to explore God and pursue relationship with God and His creation. Jesus summed this up in his statement to the
disciples: that you may
have peace in me. “That” is the
word of explanation – all this because of that.
3.
The Question of Destination – where am I going?
This
great question of destination is a troubling reminder that we are nomads,
simply travelers on this planet. Our
moment in time is fleeting, and we have somewhere else to be. To be on a journey and not know where you’re
headed is tragic and empties the journey of any joy.
In the
message Dr. Graham gave he told of Albert Einstein on a train. The conductor was making his rounds, asking
passengers to show their tickets. Einstein
couldn’t find his, but the conductor assured him he recognized the great man. Einstein’s reply was: Young man, I also know who I am;
I must find my ticket to remember where I’m going. Again, Jesus has that answer for those who
are willing to follow:
When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am. John 14:3
4.
The Question of Peace – how then shall I live?
This
question surrounds the first three and becomes our daily living-out of the
answers. How do we live, considering our
origin, purpose, and our destination? We
live in love, loving God, and loving the other 7.8 billion souls with which we share
God’s gift of life. This is what Jesus
told us when this question was asked:
Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:37-40
For You Today
The Coronavirus pandemic works against peace – just
look at the public angst and outbursts of anger and violence. It is a sure sign that we have trouble
agreeing on an answer to the three great questions of our existence and
purpose, and how to work out any of it.
You chew on that as you hit the Rocky
Road; have a blessed day!
[1] Title Image: Pixabay.com Unless noted, Scripture quoted from The
New Living Translation©
