What can bring ultimate meaning to my life?
Genesis 1:26Then God said, “Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us. They will reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, the livestock, all the wild animals on the earth, and the small animals that scurry along the ground.”
Isaiah 43:7“Bring all who claim me as their God, for I have made them for my glory. It was I who created them.”
Romans 11:36Everything comes from him [God] and exists by his power and is intended for his glory. All glory to him forever! Amen.
God, our Creator, gives us value. We are made in his image, and his very breath gives us life.
Ezekiel 29:21“And the day will come when I will cause the ancient glory of Israel to revive, and then, Ezekiel, your words will be respected. Then they will know that I am the Lord.”
Micah 6:8No, O people, the Lord has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.
John 4:13-14Jesus replied, “Anyone who drinks this water will soon become thirsty again. But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.”
John 10:10“The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.”
John 15:5“Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.”
Philippians 3:7-9I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith.
Revelation 3:20“Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends.”
We are created to know God and enjoy fellowship with him. Without God, our lives are dry and empty. With him, we can be filled with love and joy. Nothing could be more meaningful than a close relationship with God, our Creator.
Psalm 8:3-8When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers—the moon and the stars you set in place—what are mere mortals that you should think about them, human beings that you should care for them? Yet you made them only a little lower than God and crowned them with glory and honor. You gave them charge of everything you made, putting all things under their authority—the flocks and the herds and all the wild animals, the birds in the sky, the fish in the sea, and everything that swims the ocean currents.
God has given humans the highest place in creation and the great responsibility of managing and caring for his creation. This is a meaningful purpose and a high honor.
Matthew 4:19Jesus called out to them, “Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!”
2 Corinthians 3:2The only letter of recommendation we need is you yourselves. Your lives are a letter written in our hearts; everyone can read it and recognize our good work among you.
2 Corinthians 5:18All of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him.
God calls us to the meaningful task of participating in his work in the world and pointing others to him.
John 3:16“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.”
John 5:24“I tell you the truth, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life.”
John 11:25-26Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never ever die. Do you believe this, Martha?”
1 Corinthians 15:19-20If our hope in Christ is only for this life, we are more to be pitied than anyone in the world. But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead. He is the first of a great harvest of all who have died.
The fact that death is not the end for Jesus’ followers invests our lives with eternal significance. Knowing that we have life after death gives us true perspective for everything we experience in this life.
Psalm 16:11You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your presence and the pleasures of living with you forever.
John 6:27“But don’t be so concerned about perishable things like food. Spend your energy seeking the eternal life that the Son of Man can give you. For God the Father has given me the seal of his approval.”
Romans 8:29God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.
Ephesians 1:11-12Furthermore, because we are united with Christ, we have received an inheritance from God, for he chose us in advance, and he makes everything work out according to his plan. God’s purpose was that we Jews who were the first to trust in Christ would bring praise and glory to God.
Philippians 1:9-10I pray that your love will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding. For I want you to understand what really matters, so that you may live pure and blameless lives until the day of Christ’s return.
Having a relationship with God is our ultimate purpose in life. But loving him is not limited to our feelings or even to our worship. Love leads us to action (John 14:15) and leads us to love others. This is something we must live out. Imitating Christ and becoming more like him is the most important way we are called to do this. Leading others to faith in God and teaching them about him is another important way. Our more specific, individual ways of living that out our love for God are things he reveals to us as we come to know him more.
Psalm 40:8“I take joy in doing your will, my God, for your instructions are written on my heart.”
Psalm 138:8The Lord will work out his plans for my life—for your faithful love, O Lord, endures forever. Don’t abandon me, for you made me.
Ecclesiastes 12:13That’s the whole story. Here now is my final conclusion: Fear God and obey his commands, for this is everyone’s duty.
2 Corinthians 5:9So whether we are here in this body or away from this body, our goal is to please him.
1 Thessalonians 2:4We speak as messengers approved by God to be entrusted with the Good News. Our purpose is to please God, not people. He alone examines the motives of our hearts.
2 Timothy 2:21If you keep yourself pure, you will be a special utensil for honorable use. Your life will be clean, and you will be ready for the Master to use you for every good work.
Pleasing God by loving him, obeying him, and doing his will gives meaning to our lives by preparing us to be used to accomplish God’s purposes.
Matthew 28:19-20“Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
Luke 24:47“It was also written that this message would be proclaimed in the authority of his name to all the nations, beginning in Jerusalem: ‘There is forgiveness of sins for all who repent.’”
Acts 1:8“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
Acts 20:24“But my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus—the work of telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God.”
Of all the meaningful work on earth, nothing is more meaningful than sharing God and his Good News with others.
Romans 8:29God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.
Ephesians 5:1-2Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.
1 Peter 1:3All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation.
1 Peter 2:21God called you to do good, even if it means suffering, just as Christ suffered for you. He is your example, and you must follow in his steps.
1 John 2:6Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Jesus did.
God intends for us to become more and more like Jesus. This leads to the fulfillment of sharing Christ’s joy, goodness, and glory in eternity.
Psalm 96:12-13Let the fields and their crops burst out with joy! Let the trees of the forest rustle with praise before the Lord, for he is coming! He is coming to judge the earth. He will judge the world with justice, and the nations with his truth.
Revelation 21:3-4I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.”
Our lives have meaning as we live for God because although evil and injustice often seem to have the upper hand, God will get the last word and he will right every wrong in the end.
John 20:21Again he said, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you.”
We are called to continue Christ’s mission in the world. This gives our lives meaning and purpose.
Matthew 25:23“The master said, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’”
Our lives have meaning because we have the opportunity to live in a way so that we will receive Jesus’ words of commendation.
Matthew 22:37-39Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”
1 Corinthians 13:1-3If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing. If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing.
1 John 4:7-8Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love.
Loving others in Jesus’ name give our lives meaning. If we believe all the right things and accomplish great deeds in God’s name but do not love him or others, then our efforts are meaningless.
Ephesians 1:5God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure.
God’s purpose for us is to be his children and to live in the complete security of his love at every moment.
