FINDING MEANING AND PURPOSE IN CHAOS

You can’t pick up the newspaper or listen to the news without noticing the chaos. Being a baby boomer, our generation has not had to live through a war…well, not on our land. Many have gone to other parts of the world and fought on behalf of liberty, while we have been able to enjoy the comforts of peace. 

My mind drifts to books and movies of WWII and civilians being embroiled in war. 

Homes taken over by the enemy. German troops marching through Poland and Russia pulling husbands, fathers and brothers into the streets and publicly executing them. I have no idea what it means to live in times like that. 

I am grateful for peace. 

I find it interesting that God tells us to pray for peace. How many of us pray for our leaders…making prayers, entreaties, petitions and thanksgiving for all men that we lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity, so that all people may come to the truth?   (1 Timothy 2:1-4)

Let’s mull on that passage for a minute. 

Prayers, entreaties, petitions and thanksgiving. So that we may live a quiet life in godliness and dignity, with a purpose of leading all people to the truth. 

What lens does the Bible give us to view the chaos around us? What makes for a civil society? Are we given any clues in the Scriptures? I believe there are at least three pillars. 

Let’s begin with the first. Truth. 

The Bible clearly states that God is Creator. In other words, before there was anything there was God. He is eternal. All that exists, which includes things in heaven and on earth, things visible and invisible, and thrones, Dominions, rulers and authorities – all things have been created by Him and for Him. (Colossians 1:16-17)

And how were these things made?

The Bible tells us that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was made out of things that are not seen. (Hebrews 11:3)

And if we flip back to the first book in the Bible where the scene is set and the characters are introduced, we see God in the beginning creating order out of chaos!!!

His Spirit hovers over the darkness and the surface of the deep and moves over the waters. Then He speaks. By the power of His word…light, sea creatures, the sun, moon and stars come into being. Not just the ones we see, but stars that are millions of light years away.
He makes the earth produce vegetation. He creates the birds, sea creatures and land animals…all after their kind. 

Then He stoops to the earth He has created, gathers up dust from the ground…forms a man and breathes into his nostrils the breath of life. 

And man is made after His kind!!!

What does that tell us? 

There is a Creator. By the time we finish chapter one, we learn that this Creator is good and powerful. And He is a God of order. He makes the greater and lesser lights. One to rule the day, and the other the night. All of this on the first day, second day, third day, etc. 

God has given man who was made in His image, the authority to rule over the creation He has made. This authority is limited. 

Man does not create truth; he discovers it and learns to live within its framework!!

Even a toddler figures out how life works. I throw things up, it comes down. I hide my eyes but can still be seen. Though I can’t see, doesn’t mean others can’t see. And just because I can’t see the cookie jar, doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist. 

So, what is truth? 

“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory, glory as of the only begotten Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:14

God is truth. Jesus is truth. The Holy Spirit is truth and leads us to the truth.  Everything that God has created is truth. Things we see and don’t see. All truth belongs to God. Do you want to know the truth? Know God. Finding meaning, wisdom and purpose in life, even in the midst of chaos begins with knowing God… AND in believing what He says.  This is the beginning of wisdom.

“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.” (Proverbs 9:10)

 In the words of Jesus, “You shall know the truth and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:32)