Ever wonder why we’re here?
Being philosophically minded, I often wonder. And it’s not because my head is often in the clouds that I ask this question. Sometimes, it’s because my feet are so firmly on the earth, planted, but sinking. Sinking in the muck and mud. I mean, when you’re walking in the yard of life and you step in that big pile of dog crap. I mean, when you’re driving down the road and you hit that single nail or screw and your tire goes flat. I mean, you get the idea.
Sometimes, life just sucks. Sometimes it’s really difficult stuff. Sometimes it’s really annoying or frustrating stuff, petty, but annoying.
Last night, I had one of those. I fell asleep easily, but within a couple hours I was tossing and turning. Then I woke up to use the restroom and apparently that set of a chain of events for our dogs. Over the course of the next 5 hours, all three of our dogs made different pleas for food, to go outside, to play in the living room, etc. Finally at 5am this morning, one dog has whined enough, we’ve told her “no” enough, and we misinterpreted what she was whining about. We thought she wanted to go wrestle with the other dogs (which would result in the whole house waking up); instead, she needed to poop, which, since she couldn’t do outside, she did in our master closet. Terrible! Wretched! One of the worst alarm clocks you can imagine. The scent…arghh!
So… that’s how I woke up. And it makes me wonder why I’m here. Is it just to get dog crap cleaned up? Is it to do endless loads of laundry and dishes, work 8-10 hours a day for pay, then work the other 4-6 hours every evening taking care of kids, chores, and go to bed? Is it just to… exist?
It all seems so meaningless, so humdrum, so blah.
But there’s a verse in Ephesians 1 that gives me hope. And it’s a pleasant reminder on days like today:
It’s in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for. Long before we first heard of Christ and got our hopes up, he had his eye on us, had designs on us for glorious living, part of the overall purpose he is working out in everything and everyone.
In Christ. Each morning, when I go through my morning routine, I am re-centered. I am grounded again. Either Jesus is pulling me up out of the muck and mud and dog crap of life. Or, He is helping me get my head out of the clouds and back down to the reality that I need to meet today. In both instances, I’m incredibly grateful. Because in Him, I know who I am and what I’m living for.
He gives me purpose and meaning and identity.
And that fills the soul, every single day.
Omer Redden 