What is the chief goal of human life?
It is a good question to ask, especially in a culture that values earthly possessions and place. We live in a frantic scramble for more stuff, which will then allow us more leisure… our lives are defined by bank accounts and bottom lines, our outward success by vacations, multiple homes, cars, boats, recreational vehicles, etc. The American Dream easily becomes the nightmare described by Jesus in the Gospels, where the wealthy businessman increases his wealth, tears down his barns to build bigger barns, and somehow loses his soul in the process.
St. Luke 12:20 – But God said to him, “You fool, this night your soul shall be required of you: then whose shall those things be, which you have accumulated?”
When asked the chief purpose of our existence, none of us would answer, “Oh, more stuff, more leisure, more ease and wealth.” We know better than to answer like that! But if our life answered for us, if what we spent our time answered for
us, if our banking account answered for us, what would it say?
It’s so easy to fall into the trap of being a successful American before being a faithful Christian… and this is why we worship. This is why we discipline ourselves to assemble with other Christians, and place ourselves before the Word and Table of God. We need to be reformed and renewed, weekly, if we are to live in kingdom life. We need to hear Jesus say to us, weekly,
Don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. Mt. 6:31-33, NLT
The only safe place for human life is in worship of God. In worship we are renewed, transformed, and prepared for true life – in this world, and the world to come. The Catechism tells us that the chief end of humans is to “glorify God and enjoy Him forever.” And, further, that in the worship of God, we are drawn “up out of ourselves” and into our true selves. We behold the face of God in Christ, and are changed ‘from glory into glory.’
Recently I read a quote by John Calvin, where he comments on the angels worshiping in Isaiah 6:3 – crying out, “Holy, holy, holy!” in the presence of God. Calvin says, so profoundly, that we become friends of the angels, as we live a life of worship and praise.
This, my friend, is our chief end! To become a friend of God, and friend of the angels… listen to Calvin’s words:
Now, when we are informed that the angels are employed in uttering the glory of God, let us know that their example is set before us for imitation; for the most holy service that we can render to him is, to be employed in praising his name. When he associates us with angels, it is in order that, while we sojourn on earth, we may resemble and be joined to the inhabitants of heaven. That the harmony between us and the angels may be in every respect complete, we must take care not only that the praises of God may be sounded by our tongues, but likewise that all the actions of our life may correspond to our professions; and this will only be done if the chief aim of our actions be the glory of God.
Selah.
It is this for which we have been made, friends. And it is this that we waste on “life as usual,” and living in conventional, cultural wisdom. It is this that we devalue, when we subconsciously judge God and church with our human thoughts. It is this that we squander, when we value ‘our time’ on weekends more than we value worship….
Early Christians viewed all of life as an worthwhile preparation for death – believing that, if life is lived according to its chief end, worshiping and glorifying God, we will naturally be prepared to ‘enjoy Him forever.’ This is so profound.
Early Presbyterians in this country often taught their children the catechism of faith, at the same time enjoining them to prepare for death. One of Jonathan Edwards’ earliest writing exercises reads, “Nothing is more certain than death. Take no delay in the great work of preparing for death.”
The “great work” of preparing for death is worship of God, living in Kingdom life now – living now, as a friend of angels.
Oh, that God might grant us a change of heart, to where all of our life is lived in the presence of God, where we prepare for eternity by bringing eternity into our actions, and authentic worship into every day – friends of angels who are ready to live, and therefore ready to die… into Life eternal. Alleluia!