THE CONCLUSION OF THE MATTER

Why am I here? What is my purpose? What am I supposed to do with my life? Perhaps you have heard someone ask these questions, or maybe you have asked them yourself. Is there a reason for our existence? Is there a supreme purpose?

“Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, For this is man’s all” (Ecclesiastes 12:13). “The Preacher,” as he calls himself, had set about to discover what would really give him a way to succeed and enjoy life. As you read through the book of Ecclesiastes, you can see he tried pleasure, wealth, wisdom, foolishness, even the learning of God's word (in an intellectual way). None of it worked. “Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher, “All is vanity” (Ecclesiastes 12:8). Look in the mirror; you won't be satisfied. Try to make yourself lots of friends; they will disappoint you. See if you can learn more than your peers. It really won't make you a better person. Win all the theological arguments with your friends; you won't have done what God designed for you.

What really matters is not what we own, or know. What matters is how we incorporate into our lives what God has said. To know is not enough, but to do. To do is not enough, but to become. The more we become in our world what Jesus was in His days here on earth, the less we will worry about those things that drive our neighbors. “For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps:” (1 Peter 2:21).

Finally, that will leave the way open for God to really bless all those areas of our lives that we've been trying to "fix" all these years. We will forget ourselves, and God will remember us. We will lose our lives in service to others, and so God will give us our lives. We will forget about being handsome or pretty, and God will make us beautiful. We put behind us the things important to the world and focus on serving God. Paul says this in Romans 12:1-2, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” It is only in losing ourselves in service to Christ that we can find ourselves.

The final conclusion will be judgment. Either you will be granted entrance into everlasting life or you will be sent away into eternal punishment. ““Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven” (Matthew 7:21). What will be the conclusion of the matter for you?

--Lamar