He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart…”
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I live in Scotland, and I know it’s rude to ask people’s age, but what age are you? Not that I’m prying —— goodness, I run away from prying people. Anyway, I’m just wondering if you are at this stage in life where you wonder, what’s it all about? Life, I mean. Why are we here? Are we just products of an aimless evolution and were just dancing to our DNA?
Well, you may believe that, but is that something you reasoned into or something you just accept because everyone else does? Hmm! That’s no way to understand why we are here.
Let’s look at the evidence: We live on a beautiful planet. To be honest, it’s man that’s ruining it. Science doesn’t know who or what put the universe here, and yet, our planet is perfect for human habitation. We see beauty in flowers, animals, the microcosm, and the macrocosm. We see all this in colour. We love poetry, music, sport, dancing and just sitting in a summer evening with that hygge feeling as we sit watching a sundown with family and friends.
But then, we grow old, and wonder, why all this? Will it all be over for me soon. Yes, and torschlusspanik kicks in; that feeling that the doors are closing in on you. And you ask yourself again, what’s it all about?
This is where it all gets contradictory. You see, if evolution were true, we wouldn’t ask these questions. We would just say hatches, matches, and despatches, concluding that we are here to be born, mate, keep the line going and then depart. But no, we want to live forever. No. you don't believe that? Okay, when would you like to die? Tomorrow, next week, next year. No, we want to hold on to life as long as we can.
My sister was out one day and observed an old man crying as he looked at the landscape.
“Are you okay?” my sister asked.
“I see all this beauty and I don’t have much longer to live, but I want to stay.” He answered.
The old man felt like that because we have been programmed from birth to have life indefinite in our heart. Look at Ecclesiastes 3:11,
“He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart…” (NIV)
So, what about you and me? Is God going to give us that feeling and not open the door for us in some way?
Jesus spoke to a man when they both were dying, the man asked for Jesus to remember him when he got into his Kingdom. Look what Jesus said,
“Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.” Luke 23:43 (NIV).
This tells us where we can go, but not why we are here, right? Okay, here is my theory. Could it be that we are born here as a test? You see there is this story in the Book of Job where Satan said to God that man only serves God for what he can get. Job chapter 1.
Let’s just stop there to take this all in. Satan has claimed that we would serve God for selfish gain only. I think Satan has a point, don’t you? But wait, that may be true of some, but not all. There are many people out there that would give their life to God and Jesus.
But there’s another factor here.
God permitted Satan to test Job. So, there’s no doubt who’s in power here. Rather, it’s a moral issue. A moral issue that takes humankind’s lifetime to settle.
Let’s illustrate. If I were to say to you “I’m more honest than you. “How do we settle that? It would take our lifetime. And so it goes with God putting us here. We are here to be tested as to whether we are willing to side with God or Satan on this issue regarding man being selfish or selfless towards God. Look,
“For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.” 2 Chronicles 16: 9 (NIV).
Writing: © 2024 Jim McCrory
Scripture quotations taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV®
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