I have been doing a lot of thinking and reflecting on my life lately. The primary reason for this, I believe, is the fact that I will be a married man in two weeks and one half weeks from now (Yay!). My life is going to be a lot different, so I suppose I have been reflecting on the significance of it. Obviously this life is significant, given the fact that we are here (on earth). But why?
I have always wondered why we are here on earth. Why not just skip straight to heaven? I mean this planet seems a little superfluous in the grand scheme of things. I wonder why God put us here.
No matter how much scripture or solid reasoning people give me, the answer to this question eludes me. Why are we here? Well, the Westminster Confession of Faith states that we are here to glorify God and enjoy him forever. Couldn’t this end be achieved just as well in eternity? Why this transient, vain place?
There must be something different about Earth than the rest of eternity.
This is the only place where we will encounter fallenness, brokenness, pain, sadness, grief, sickness. This is the only place where we will come in contact with sin. But why? Why must we be thrown in this ugly mix of things? Not only does this seem unfair, but it seems downright sadistic for God to put us in such a position where we can fall, where we suffer, where we sin, where we destroy ourselves.
There has to be something significant about pain, suffering and loss. Something essential to the experience of being human in God’s universe that we can’t get anywhere else but fallen Earth. Out of our self-destruction there comes a need for a savior.
Jesus Christ, the only begotten son of God, was also on this planet. He lived a life in this transient place, and he atoned for our sins with his death on a cross. Were it not for this less-than-perfect world where we endure appalling hardships, we would not be ready to receive grace. Life prepares us to accept God’s mercy through Christ Our Savior.