Living a Life That Matters Part 1

Living a life that matters is really what everyone wants.  We want to know that we were brought into this world for a reason.  We want to know that our existence has made a difference somehow.  I think deep down we all wish that we could have that “Jimmy Stewart moment,” you know – when Clarence the angel allows George Bailey in the Christmas Classic –“It’s a Wonderful Life,” the opportunity to see what things would have been like had he never been born.  While a rather simple man, with a simple life, George didn’t feel all that significant, however, he was given a marvelous gift to see the untold impact his life had on others, and the ripple effect that literally changed a whole culture in an entire town.  Of course Clarence is make believe, and I don’t know of anyone who has experienced a similar gift, but the story is a classic because we all want to believe – that is we NEED to believe that our life truly matters.  And so it is down this journey that I go, looking for a way to know that indeed I have been living a life that truly matters.

How We Matter to God

            The first place to look is how we matter to God.  I don’t think anyone would disagree that each and every one of us matters to our Heavenly Daddy.  Jesus used a wonderful example in Matthew when he was admonishing his disciples to not be anxious for their daily living needs – food, drink, clothing, He says,

             Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.  Are you not worth much more than they? (Matthew 6:26).

             Now at first reading, this verse did not really impress me.  I mean, c’mon!  Of course I am worth more than some silly ole birds!  The impact of this verse needs to be taken into a context with keeping the right perspective.  It is not saying that my worth is compared to a flock of fine feathered friends.  It is however saying, if God cares so much for some nameless birds, certainly He has a plan for me.

            We know that we matter to God when we look at some of his amazing promises.  For instance – I Corinthians 10:13 tells us that God does not allow us to be tempted beyond what we can handle, but with temptation will provide a way of escape so that you may be able to endure it. Now why would He do that?  Because He knows we will be tempted, and He also knows we will need His help to get out of the mess we find ourselves in.  That is a God who cares about what happens to us!

            Here is another dandy -- Did you realize the depth of Ephesians 1:4 where it says,

             Just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and blameless before Him in love.

            Do you see that?   He chose us.  He actually chose us.  Now, I know that when I go to a store to buy something, and I have some time to ponder what I really want, I will choose that which will bring me some kind of pleasure – a new dress, some different earrings, or maybe a great cut of steak for dinner.  But because I took the time to choose it, I find that I enjoy it all the more.  Now, I am not comparing you to a juicy steak, mind you, but when we think about being chosen in Him we simply HAVE to think about what that really means.  Remember in Jr. High when teams were chosen?  I never was the captain of a team, because I wasn’t the best athlete in the world.  I was however, pretty well-rounded, and I wasn’t the worst either – in the middle I guess is a good description.  But when those captains would choose their teams, the best players always got picked first.  I will never forget the day when I was the first pick for a game of kickball.  I was chosen first – not just the leftovers.  I was chosen – out of the whole group, it was me first, and then the others.  That is the mind picture I get when I read these words in Ephesians.  He chose us.  We were picked – kind of like looking for the reddest, ripest strawberries in the patch – choosing the ones we KNOW will be dripping in sweet juice.   We skim over the just turning pink ones, and the little green ones, and even the dark, over ripe purple ones, looking for the choicest, the very best ones.  That is what it means to be chosen.  And chosen we are.  But ah reader, keep going – He chose us for a reason.  We weren’t chosen to just sit there looking good.  We were chosen to be “holy and blameless before Him in love.”  We will get to this a bit later, but do hold that thought!

Philippians 2:13 says, for it is God who is at work in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure. Now, why would God be at work in us, unless we matter to Him?  I know I don’t like wasting my time working at something unless it will profit me somehow in the future.  If I did not matter to God, then why would He waste His time working in me?  I am sure there are many more obvious “good causes” for Him to work in.  Now Billy Graham – sure, I can see why God would take the time to work in him.  And how about Mother Teresa?  And then there’s The Pope, and the pastors of large congregations with hundreds of people to care for who hunger to know the Lord, and are looking for divine guidance.  But me?  Heck, I'm just a retired Grandma. Anyone could do that, right?  But don’t you get it?  God is at work in me to will and to do of HIS good pleasure.  It is His good pleasure, not mine. 

Some other promises –

• His peace guards my heart (Philippians 4:7)
• His peace is with me (Philippians 4:9) 
• He strengthens me (Philippians 4:13)
• He supplies all my needs (Philippians 4:19)
• He does more than I can ask or think (Ephesians 3:20)
• I can walk in a manner worthy of the Lord (Colossians 1:10)
• He has given me, not the spirit of fear, but of power and of love, and of a sound mind (II Timothy 1:7)

Stay tuned for more!