A Meaningful Life
- Richard Selke
- Sep 3, 2024
- 5 min read
Updated: Sep 24, 2024
September 4, 2024
LISTEN TO AUDIO
While escaping the gravitational pull of a black star, the U.S.S. Enterprise is thrown into a time warp and finds itself in Earth’s orbit in the present day. The starship appears as an unidentified flying object. A fighter jet is sent to intercept the UFO. The Enterprise tunes in to the jet’s communications and listens as the pilot is ordered to shoot it down. Spock warns that the jet may be armed with nuclear missiles which could cause serious damage to the starship. Captain Kirk orders Scott to lock on to the jet with a tractor beam in order to immobilize it, but the force of the beam causes the jet to begin to break up. In order to save his life, the pilot is beamed aboard just before the jet disintegrates.
The pilot meets Kirk and the Enterprise crew and learns that he is on a starship from the future. Kirk must decide whether to return the pilot to Earth or to take him with them. If allowed to return, the pilot’s newly-gained knowledge of the future, its advanced technology, etc. could potentially alter the course of history. Spock runs a computer check and finds that the pilot has made no “relevant contribution to history.” Kirk decides that the pilot cannot go back to Earth.
The pilot is confronted with the notion that his life has no meaning. He also laments that he will never see his wife and two daughters again. He suggests to Kirk that not going back might itself alter the course of history.
The pilot’s comment causes Spock to re-examine the data and discover new information about the pilot – his son will head the first successful Earth-Saturn mission, a significant event in space exploration. Captain Kirk and the Enterprise crew must find a way to return the pilot to Earth because he has no son – yet!
Ultimately, Kirk, Spock, Scotty and the Enterprise crew find a way to return the pilot to his fighter jet moments before he first sees the Enterprise. Their plan also returns the Enterprise to its proper place in time.
The human race is ancient, spanning countless generations. God works across these generations, weaving each of us into His grand narrative. Although we may not fully understand how our individual lives play into His Story, we can trust that each of us plays a crucial role. And that role, as it is fulfilled, gives relevance and meaning to our lives, even if we do not see that meaning fully revealed in our lifetime.
We can try to keep score of the relevance and meaning of our lives as we live them. How do we do that? What metrics do we apply to our personal lives and professions? Financial success or failure? Children? Crops? Cattle? Pews filled? Souls saved? What is the true measure that would qualify as a “relevant contribution to history?” What gives our life meaning? Even if our life is a failure in terms of the ways we choose to keep score, it has value to God. He has a plan for us. The Bible reminds us, “’For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’” Jeremiah 29:11, NIV
When we reflect on our ancestry, the sheer number of those who came before us is staggering! Which ones made relevant contributions to history? Which ones led meaningful lives? The truth is that they’re all historically relevant – every single one of them! If any of those couples hadn’t come together exactly when they did, we wouldn’t be here! This truth underscores the fact that every life is historically relevant, even if the world doesn’t recognize it.
Have you ever wondered why God chose to place you in the family lineage you’re in at this particular time in history and in this particular place? If you have children, the very act of being a parent gives meaning to your life. If you don’t have children, you have influenced more people than you will ever know, in some instances, even more than their natural parents.
If you are alive, you are playing a role in His Story. That qualifies you as making a relevant contribution to history. You are leading a meaningful life. You may be absolutely certain about what the meaning of your life is … and you may not be. We may not know the full meaning of our lives until we are with the Lord in eternity, but we can live with the assurance that our lives matter here and now.
REMEMBER & BELIEVE
Christ has died; Christ is risen; Christ will come again.
In the meantime, we live with meaning in the light of His grace!
QUESTION
What are the ways you see God giving meaning to your life today?
PRAYER
Heavenly Father, thank You for the gift of life and for the meaning You have woven into each of our days. Help us to trust in Your perfect plan, even when we don’t see the full picture. Give us the faith to believe that our lives have meaning in Your grand design. Lead us to live each day with intention, knowing that our actions, no matter how small, are part of Your greater Story. May we find comfort in Your promise to give us hope and a future, and may we rest in the assurance that we are known and loved by You.
Our Father Who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil and the evil one. For Thine is the kingdom and the power, and the glory, forever and ever.
Amen
“This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” Psalm 118:24 (NRSV)
God bless you!
Richard
Christ Worshipper | Disciple Maker | Hope Giver
Welcome to In the Meantime. I'm glad you're here! We are living in the time between Christ's ascension into heaven and His promised return to earth. In the Meantime is a collection of stories about God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and His presence, love, mercy and grace in my life. In the Meantime, Jesus is Lord! Hallelujah!
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