 |
|
An
Outreach Publication of the Church of Christ at
Creekwood |
|
"Raison D’etre" For too many, life will simply end without them ever knowing why it began. Raison D’etre (rā’zōn de’tre) is a French phrase meaning “reason or justification for being or existence.” What is your raison d’etre? What is your purpose in life? What is the reason for your existence? Some have made prosperity their purpose in life. These will "spend" their lives making money to "spend" upon material possessions. Big bank accounts, the finest of houses and cars, and luxurious vacations are the top priorities in their lives. Jesus warned, "Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses" (Luke 12:15). For
others, their raison
d’etre is the pursuit
of knowledge.
To seek to grow in knowledge is worthwhile, but
we must be sure to seek the right kind of knowledge.
It is possible to know a lot, yet not know
those things which are most important.
The lives of many
today are characterized in the Scriptures as those who
are “always learning, but never able to come to the
knowledge of the truth” (2Timothy 3:7). Some
pursue worldly pleasure
as the sole reason for their existence.
Some continue to live by the Epicurean
philosophy of old:
“Eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we
die.” This
philosophy fails to recognize
the fact that we have been created
accountable beings which one day will give account of
how we have lived (Romans 14:12).
Again the scriptures
warn of many who are “lovers of pleasure rather than
lovers of God” (2 Timothy 3:4). Others seek position, power, popularity, and the list goes on and on. What is your reason for existence? The Scriptures teach us that we were created by our Creator to worship and serve Him. The Apostle Paul summed up our raison d’etre in these words: "Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God" (1 Corinthians 10:31). To glorify God is our reason for existence. This means that we have been created to magnify and exalt the Lord our God as we humble ourselves and submit to His authority. Until each of us recognizes this divine raison d’etre, our lives will never find the fulfillment for which they were intended. The theme of the Bible has been stated as “the salvation of man through Christ to the glory of God.” Herein lies our reason for existence; it is found in doing God’s will, NOT our own. Blessed are those who choose God’s way: those who believe in Jesus (Acts 16:31), repent of their sins (Acts 17:30), are baptized into Christ for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38), and live their lives to the glory of God, for they have recognized our true raison d’etre. The late Batsell Barrett Baxter once wrote: “Life becomes meaningful only when one understands the deeper purpose behind it, and one understands that deeper purpose only when he knows Christ.” Have you realized God’s raison d’etre for your life? May God bless you as you seek to do His will.
David A. Sargent,
Minister To Subscribe to "Living Water" send a blank e-mail to:
HTML version: subscribe-livingwater@lyris.dundee.net Follow this link to locate the church of Christ nearest you: www.churchsearch.org Archived issues of "Living Water" can be accessed from our website at: www.creekwoodcc.org |