Going to the Grave with the Song Still in You – Part I

“Most men live lives of quiet desperation and go to the grave with the song still in them.”
--- Henry David Thoreau

Let me propose a thought with the help of paraphrasing Thoreau:

The reason so many Christians live lives of quiet desperation and go to the grave with the song still in us (and many do), is because we fail to come to terms with the purpose of God for our lives and struggle with the degree to which we believe God engages the world today.

For today let me just discuss the first part (purpose) of what is essentially an identity issue (who is God and who are we in Him). Not being grounded in the answer to those two “who” questions can really mess us up. And it’s not like we don’t want to know those answers, often it’s more like we are careening through life and failing to get off the merry-go-round long enough to explore the deeper issues. Like purpose.

Os Guinness said it nicely:

“The ideal of the ‘Examined Life’ is as important when it comes to purpose as in any part of life. It would be absurd to be rigorous in examining our insurance policies or preparing our income tax returns but blithely casual in deciding what is the purpose of life itself.”

I’ll bet Os nailed it for a bunch of you. Think about it – you’ve spent more time in front of your C.P.A. or insurance guy than before God pursuing Him with all your heart that He would reveal His plans for you (Jeremiah 29). Don’t feel too bad. We’ve all fallen short.

I was the district attorney in Oklahoma City for a period. That was not by happenstance. Likewise it is not happenstance that you are the president of your company or leading whatever it is you lead in the city you are living at this moment in history. It’s all God.

“…Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; and in Your book were all written the days that were ordained for me when as yet there was not one of them.” Ps. 139:16

“Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord… 9who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose…"
2 Timothy 1:8-9

I particularly like the Amplified version of Ephesians 2:10, “For we are God’s [own] handiwork, recreated in Christ Jesus, [born anew] that we may do those good works which God predestined for us [taking paths which He prepared ahead of time], that we should walk in them [living the good life which he prearranged and made ready for us to live].”

Of course, there are many more verses, but you get the big idea. There is absolutely no reason to go to the proverbial grave with the song still in you. The relentlessly purposeful God of the universe has put you where you are for just such a time as this. So what are you going to do about that? (Hint from Jeremiah 29 – God loves being pursued).

Wes Lane