IS THIS ALL THERE IS?

Jeremy McLellan – July 16, 2004

When life is difficult, or things don’t seem to go the way we want; When we find ourselves in a dead end job, or it seems the whole world is against us; When we are faced with extreme trials or just feeling depressed, we often ask ourselves this question, “Is this all there is?”

Many people wonder if there is more to life than just the everyday “rat race.” All of us at one point in our lives have found ourselves searching for peace, joy, or something that will satisfy us for a time. For a time we may look to material possessions for this joy. This may help for a while, but we again become dissatisfied. In the Bible, there was a king named Solomon. Solomon was one of the wealthiest men that have ever walked the earth. Consider the following verses in Ecclesiastes 2:4-11:

4 I made my works great, I built myself houses, and planted myself vineyards. 5 I made myself gardens and orchards, and I planted all kinds of fruit trees in them. 6 I made myself water pools from which to water the growing trees of the grove. 7 I acquired male and female servants, and had servants born in my house. Yes, I had greater possessions of herds and flocks than all who were in Jerusalem before me. 8 I also gathered for myself silver and gold and the special treasures of kings and of the provinces. I acquired male and female singers, the delights of the sons of men, and musical instruments of all kinds. 9 So I became great and excelled more than all who were before me in Jerusalem. Also my wisdom remained with me. 10 Whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them. I did not withhold my heart from any pleasure, for my heart rejoiced in all my labor; and this was my reward from all my labor. 11 Then I looked on all the works that my hands had done and on the labor in which I had toiled; and indeed all was vanity and grasping for the wind. There was no profit under the sun.

In all of Solomon’s labors to find joy in material possessions, His conclusion was that it did not satisfy or bring fulfillment.

Some will look to popularity or to power in the workplace. Again, Solomon wrote:

“Better a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king who will be admonished no more. For he comes out of prison to be king, although he was born poor in his kingdom. I saw all the living who walk under the sun; they were with the second youth who stands in his place. There was no end of all the people over whom he was made king; yet those who come afterward will not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and grasping for the wind.” Ecclesiastes 4:13-16

Ruling over many people or possessing all the riches of the world does not bring satisfaction. It is vanity and grasping for something that we can never take hold of.

The Bible declares that there is more to life than these temporary pleasures. There is more to life than to be born, live, and die. The Bible tells us where we can find a true peace and a true joy. Psalm 16:11 says:

“You (God) will show me the path of life; in your presence is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures for evermore.”

To truly understand what this life is all about, we must first look to the Creator of life. Unfortunately, our sin (breaking of God’s law) has separated us from this perfect and Holy Creator. The prophet Isaiah wrote “Behold, the LORD’s hand is not shortened that it cannot save; Nor His ear heavy, That it cannot hear; But your iniquities have separated you from your God, and your sins have hidden His face from you So that He will not hear.” As the verse above stated, in God’s presence is fullness of joy, but because of sin, man cannot enter into His presence.

You maybe saying, “I want this joy, and these pleasures forevermore!! What do I do?” First you must admit that you are a sinner, deserving of hell and separation from God (Romans 3:23, and 6:23). Then you must repent (have a 180 degree change of heart) and desire to humble yourself before God instead of fighting Him (Acts 2:37-38, Proverbs 3:33-35). Agree with God the Father that the only way to be forgiven is to have a believing faith in Jesus, His Son and to agree with Him that Jesus alone can cleanse us of our sins (John 14:6).

The Bible promises in 1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” You must simply confess your sin (meaning you agree with God that according to His law, you are a sinner), ask God to forgive you, thank Him for sending His Son Jesus to die on the cross in your place, and ask Him to come into your life and make you new.

I encourage you to act upon this now if you have never done so. Find a place to get alone and get on your knees. Then talk to God as a loving friend whom you have foolishly offended and maligned. Tell Him you want to repent of these acts and give Him the rest of your life. Tell Him that you want to worship Jesus and lovingly follow His commands until He comes. If you do this, your life will change, the Holy Spirit of God will fill you and give you spiritual life (John 20:21-22) and you will have a deep sense of knowing that there is more to life

(1 Corinthians 2:9-10).

The Bible promises that if any man is in Jesus Christ, he is a new creature; old things have passed away, all things become new. You will now be able to enter into the presence of God and find complete joy and peace in having a relationship with the God who created you and loves you.

In closing, consider what Jesus says in the following verses:

John 16:33 “These things I have spoken unto you, that in Me you might have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

John 14:27 “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled nor let it be afraid.”