Are You Finding Life Meaning in Jesus Christ?
Have you ever found yourself asking, “What is the meaning of life?” It’s one of the oldest and deepest questions humanity faces. We look around at our circumstances, our jobs, and our relationships, trying to piece together a purpose. Often, we feel stuck, like we are wading through thick mud, trying to find solid ground to stand on.
This feeling of being stuck isn’t new. In Psalm 40, David writes about being in a “horrible pit” and “miry clay.” This “miry clay” is more than just difficult circumstances; it’s a prophetic picture of mankind’s condition without Christ. It represents the “froth and the slime” of human philosophy and traditional religion, where we constantly struggle to rescue ourselves.
The Pit of Existentialism vs. The Rock of Christ
During a profound spiritual encounter recently, the Holy Spirit brought a single word to mind: existential. Existentialism is a philosophy that fundamentally states that life has no predetermined meaning. It teaches that you must create your own meaning, identity, and purpose through your actions.
The Holy Spirit revealed that this is precisely the “miry clay” that is trapping so many people today—even inside the church. It is the exhausting, fruitless attempt to establish your own identity and purpose.
However, when we look at the Word, Jesus shatters this philosophy. He declared, “I am the way, the truth, and the life”(John 14:6). This statement is not merely a motivational phrase; it is a profound Kingdom truth. There is one truth, one way, and one life, and that is Jesus. Those who submit to Him and live in that truth do not have to ask, “What is the meaning of life?” because they are actively living the life.
Changing Our Thought Paradigm: Why We “Pitch Up”
In examining our journey in the Kingdom, we need to shift our thinking regarding our motives.
The other day I attended a father and son cycling day. Despite knowing nothing about modern cycling gear, owning an outdated bike two sizes too small, and wearing running shoes instead of proper cleats, I decided to “pitch up” and participate. Why? Not because I was trying to earn a relationship with my son, but because we already had a relationship. I discovered that it’s not the kit I arrive in that makes me a cyclist, but the fact that I showed up to participate for the right reason. My son had the best day because his dad said yes to the invitation.
This is a vital lesson for us as a congregation. Why do we “pitch up” to church on Sundays? We don’t come striving to get close to God or earn His favour. God is already with you wherever you are. We gather not for relationship, but out of relationship.
When we approach the Kingdom from a place of alienation, thinking we need to earn our way back to Him, we remain stuck in a religious paradigm of miry clay. Jesus has already pulled humanity out of that pit. We gather in response to what He has done.
Two Postures of Showing Up
When we show up to gather, 1 Peter 2 describes two distinct biblical postures we should adopt:
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- Like babies craving milk: Peter urges us to come craving spiritual milk so that we may be nourished (1 Peter 2:2). We must come wholly dependent on His sustenance, hungry for the Bread of Life that only Jesus can provide.
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- Like living stones: Two verses later, we are described as spiritual rocks being built into the church (1 Peter 2:4-5). This means we also come ready to be part of the structure, actively giving of ourselves to build the Kingdom. If you have nothing to give, you are not fully living. Living stones possess a dynamic life from Christ that strengthens the body.
The Gravity of Obeying God’s Way
If we are to find our meaning in Christ, we must align our lives with His order. Following Jesus means learning to follow “the rules” of the Kingdom. On a mountain bike trail, there are markers guiding cyclists. If you ignore them, labeling them merely as metaphorical or suggestions, you will end up lost, tired, and in need of rescue.
Similarly, God has a specific way, truth, and life. Yet, many believers are stuck in the mud because they willfully choose not to follow that path. They seek the freedom of the covenant but try to maintain old, sinful habits and mentalities.
The Warning of Hebrews 10
This is a challenging reality that is rarely spoken of, yet it is biblically sound. Hebrews 10 tells us that Jesus inaugurated a new order, replacing the old system of continuous sacrifices. We have been made holy through His one-time offering.
However, the passage contains a severe warning: “For if we go on deliberately and willingly sinning after once acquiring the knowledge of the truth, there is no longer any sacrifice left to atone for…” (Hebrews 10:26).
With the new covenant comes greater responsibility. We cannot take the sacrifice of Jesus lightly. When we trample on the covenant blood and make it “common”—walking into church on Sunday and then living in open disobedience on Monday—we are rejecting the transformation He purchased for us. The whole book of Hebrews is a correction to the mindset that we can mess up all week and just bring an offering on Sunday. The order has changed; the life has changed.
This is a call to take up that responsibility and walk in obedience. As a shepherd of this flock, I urge you to receive the way, the truth, and the life wholly. Don’t deviate from the route, because it is the only path that leads to abundant life.
The Reward of True Rest
Finally, as we pursue this path, we must bring our best effort. We have a value in our church that excellence is a heart posture, not an expectation. We bring our best because we possess faith and hope.
Even when our external circumstances don’t match the promise (like riding a technical trail on an outdated bike) our ability to focus on the unseen carries us through. Faith is the evidence of things hoped for
(Hebrews 11).
When we commit to this path of relationship and obedience, there is a certain reward. It is not just the promise of heaven after we die; it is the promise of entering “rest” now, in the land of the living. This rest is the experience of fulfillment, the quiet confidence of knowing you are making a difference in your family, community, and friendships.
Step into His Rest
True joy is peace regardless of circumstance. It means knowing you are in the right place, thinking the right thoughts, and doing the right things, despite what is happening around you.
Let Psalm 40:8 be our prayer: “I delight to do your will, O my God, yes, your law is within my heart.”
We challenge every person to make obeying the voice of Jesus the priority of their daily life. Break free from the miry clay of trying to define your own existence. Find your identity in the relationship Jesus has already secured for you, and walk obediently in the new order He has established. Step into His peace, His rest, and His true life.
