Chapter 4
Significance: The Search for Meaning and Purpose
Morley begins Chapter 4 with a quote by H.D. Thoreau in which he says, “Most men live lives of quiet desperation.” As a teenager I remember reading that and asking myself, “Why?” At that point in my life I didn’t have a framework for understanding why someone would live in a way that made them desperate. I didn’t think Thoreau was necessarily wrong but I couldn’t figure out why he would be right. As I got older I realized that people could find themselves in a life without meaning and without a roadmap to find any meaning or purpose.
The problem that Morley develops in Chapter 4 is the problem of finding meaning and purpose in our lives and how being disconnected from purpose in our lives can cause a desperate feeling in men. This is true in women too but it is especially pronounced in men.
Morley talks about the Howard Hughes and he certainly had a number of successes while ending in a life of not so quiet desperation. His panic was well known and his money and success didn’t buy him peace. A little closer to home is Ted Turner. I remember a few years ago he made a substantial donation and when questioned about it he indicated that he was buying mourners for his funeral. I thought that was an odd reason for making a charitable donation but I guess if you reject God then it is a very honest answer and about the best he could hope for. As Morley indicates, when you answer the “Why do I exist?” question then you’ll either answer with an 80 year answer like Ted Turner or you’ll answer with a view to eternity.
You can search for purpose in the wrong way. Morley lists fame, possessions, and power as means of seeking for purpose that will ultimately fail since they are “80-year answers” to an “eternity” problem.
Purpose in this life must involve other people and especially the Church. Everything else is going to be lost. The children of God will go on forever in fellowship with Him. The only eternal impacts you have will be those impacts you have in the lives of others. Nothing else will last. As Piper says as he begins his book “Don’t Waste Your Life” … “Only one life, twill soon be past, only what’s done for Christ will last” and Christ will tell you that the greatest is the servant of all. If you want eternal impact then it is an obvious conclusion that your life must be spent in service to others as God leads.
Significance is a deep need for mankind. Morley gives a good summary test for an action. You can test it by asking, “Does what I’m about to do contribute to the welfare of others in a demonstration of faith, love, obedience, and service to Christ?” I’d add that should you come up with a positive answer then as you proceed pray that God would make it possible for you to do the work in His time, in His way, and with no thought but for His glory.
Chapter 5
Purpose: Why Do I Exist?
In the Westminster Confession of Faith they state that, “Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy Him forever.” I remember hearing that statement when I was in high school too. At the time I thought they just didn’t want to really work on a good answer so they just said that. Now I’ve come to think they had it right. At one time I thought that I had to do something to win God’s blessing or that He needed me to do something. In reality, I was born in sin and He had to send His Son to die so that I could have God’s blessing and He didn’t and doesn’t “need” me to accomplish His will.
Morley addresses the utter lack of satisfaction that can come from things. Piper hits at the heart of our prostituting ourselves for things that don’t satisfy when he says, “God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him.” I think some of us begin a career and assume that purpose and satisfaction will just happen and then we get really unglued when they don’t just happen. In 2004 we talked about calling as it relates to our jobs. It is a thing that bears repeating that you must remember your primary calling is in God. Think of it as the Westminster Confession says “My primary calling is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.” Then a couple things flow from that. First, my job is not my primary calling. However, my job is a secondary calling in God. He will never change my primary calling but He will almost certainly change my secondary calling. I’ve got to remember my primary calling or, at best, I’ll have difficulty dealing with a change in my secondary calling and, at worst, I’ll be subject to God’s discipline to get my attention. As Morley says, “We derive meaning and identity from understanding who we are in Christ … On the other hand, God has a purpose for our lives – a mission, a destiny – which is why we exist.” Or at least why we are still living.
At this time next year I could be doing what I’m doing now, I could be retired, I could be the boss here in Georgia or in Utah, or I could be working in Arizona. That is a bunch of uncertainty but if God is in control then I should be able to walk out the next year with at least some measure of peace. Our memory verse from 2 weeks ago is an encouragement (Jeremiah 29:11-14a) because it tells us that God has a plan for us. He promises that it is for wholeness and so that I’ll have a future and a hope. That hope in my primary calling is an anchor when things become uncertain in this world. Remember that in the first chapter of Colossians, Paul stressed that our faith and love spring from the hope that is stored up for us in heaven based on the Gospel. If I am going to walk in faith and love then it will not be a result of my job. Faith and love come from my Hope set in heaven. God has really direct instructions for us about how we are supposed to focus on our daily life.
Colossians 3:1-4We have got to place our hearts in the right place. Uncertainty is difficult for a Christian and it can be hard to encourage a Christian has allowed their heart to be lured into a fixation on the things on earth but at least we have some common ground to start a dialog. A more difficult thing is to try to find something encouraging to say to someone who doesn’t know Christ and has a heart firmly set on the things of this world. All they have is the “80-yr” solution in mind and shaking their world will result in desperation.
Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
Morley divides purpose into three arenas. First, those universal purposes that we all called to share can be thought of as what God wants us to be and do. He calls us all to purity in character and service to him. We are all called to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. Secondly, we have personal purpose. Body Life Journey can give you a sort of left hand or right hand start on this. Morley suggests even writing out a purpose statement for your life. It is likely to be strongly linked to your gifting from God so that is why I’d suggest you might use Body Life Journey as a starting point. Your statement should be based on Scripture and something personal that you find in prayer and submit to God. This statement should be a general statement. Then thirdly, there are specific purposes in the application of your gifts with family, church, and job. You may want to spend time writing these things down or you may simply want to generally deal with these things without writing them down. Do what God leads you do to (Page 95-96 in MIM).
Chapter 6
The Secret of Job Contentment
When we talked about calling in the summer of 2004 we were able to focus on how important it is to know God’s primary call and yet to view our job’s as a calling. You really need to know that God is with you day by day as you do whatever God has called you to do.
Morley refers to the movie “Chariots of Fire” as a contrast between someone who knew God’s calling in everything and someone who had no knowledge of God in his life. Eric Liddell served God with his whole heart while Harold Abrahams served himself. It is a tremendous study in contrasts and if you haven’t seen the movie in a while I’d suggest you watch it again. Liddell’s life is an inspiration. Work is supposed to be a blessing and not a curse.
Who do you work for? Scripture is clear that we are supposed to serve God. In fact, we just studied that concept in Colossians. Not only are we to work with God as our boss, if we are supervising then we are to be servants to those we supervise, and we are to be good stewards of all the resources we are given knowing that we serve God.
Saul and David are a contrast in approach to God’s call in their lives. Saul served himself and not God. He became driven by what others thought about him. He was so controlled by his position that God removed it from him. He had a meltdown that was worthy of Howard Hughes. David knew where he came from and understood that his kingship was secondary to his relationship with God. He made plenty of errors and the Bible doesn’t hide his weaknesses but in the end he would not grasp for what God could give and could take away. He wouldn’t grasp for it while Saul lived. God could work with David but God couldn’t work with
You can not be lord of your own life. You can’t set your job above God even if you are King of Israel. God must have His place in your life.
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