The Purpose of Life

[Psalm 119:17–24]

Social scientists at Johns Hopkins University in the United States conducted a study over two years, with the cooperation of the National Institute of Mental Health. They surveyed 7,948 people across 48 universities, asking the question:
“What is the most important thing to you right now?”

As a result, 16% of respondents answered “making money,” while 78% responded, “discovering the meaning of my life.” The conclusion of this survey was that human beings fundamentally seek not possessions but the meaning of life (source: internet).

So, what is the meaning of your life? What are you living for? What truly is the purpose of our lives?

The Westminster Shorter Catechism, Question 1, puts it this way:
Q. What is the chief end of man?
A. Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy Him forever
(1 Corinthians 10:31, Romans 11:36, Psalm 73:24–26, John 17:22–24).

But how exactly do we live a life that glorifies God?

Looking at the second half of Psalm 119:17, we see that in order to glorify God and enjoy Him forever — the very purpose of life — we must keep God’s Word:
“… that I may keep your word.”

Then how can we keep God’s Word?
Focusing on Psalm 119:17–24, I would like to reflect on three points, beginning with this:

First, in order to keep God's Word, our spiritual eyes must be opened.

Look at Psalm 119:18:
“Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law.”

The psalmist prayed, “Open my eyes,” asking God to help him see. Why? So that he could see the wondrous things in the law of the Lord. The psalmist was seeking to examine the wonders of God’s Word through divine inspiration (commentary by Park Yoon Sun).

We are strangers on this earth (v.19). This world is not our true home. That’s why we are journeying toward a better homeland — heaven. As such, while we are sojourners here, we have the responsibility to live in obedience to the Word of the God who dwells in heaven.

Why? Because we are citizens of heaven (Philippians 3:20).

Therefore, as citizens of heaven living on this earth, we must live in a way that reflects our heavenly identity — that is, we must live according to God’s Word.

However, as we live on this earth, unless our spiritual eyes are opened, we cannot truly see or understand the Word of God. Without opened eyes, we cannot discern the works of God unfolding in this world.

That’s why the psalmist pleads with God:
“Do not hide your commandments from me” (Psalm 119:19).

We, too, must lift up such prayers to God. And when God, in His mercy, answers our prayers and opens our spiritual eyes, we will behold the wonders of His Word. Then we will be able to keep His Word.

And that is the true purpose of life:
To keep the Word of God!

Second, in order to keep God’s Word, there must be a brokenness in our hearts in our longing for the Word.

Look at Psalm 119:20:
“My soul is crushed with longing for your ordinances always.”

The psalmist says that his heart was crushed because he always longed for God’s Word. How much did he long for God’s Word to have his heart broken like that? Do we, like the psalmist, long for God’s Word so much that our hearts are broken?

Our answer to this question should be “yes,” but it seems that it is not. One of the reasons is that our spiritual eyes are not open, so we do not understand the wonders of God’s Word, and therefore we do not long for it enough to have our hearts broken.

We do not sufficiently feel the absolute necessity of God’s Word on our life journey.

As a result, we become proud and live apart from the Lord’s commandments (v.21).

And because we live apart from His commandments, the Lord rebukes us (v.21).

What should we do?

We must humbly repent and return to the Lord.

We must recommit ourselves to keeping the Lord’s Word.

When we do so, as strangers and pilgrims in this world, we can be comforted by God’s Word (v.23).

Even amidst the enemy’s persecution (v.22 — “insults and contempt”), we can find comfort in God’s Word.

Therefore, on the journey of life, through trials and hardships, we need brokenness in our hearts.

When we have that brokenness, like the psalmist, we will long even more for God’s Word with that broken heart in order to keep it.

Third, in order to keep God’s Word, we must taste the joy of God’s Word.

Look at Psalm 119:24:
“Your testimonies are my delight; they are my counselors.”

The psalmist confesses that the Lord’s Word is his delight and his counselor.

In this foreign world, what is our delight?

There is no one else to long for in this world but the Lord (Psalm 73:25).

What we urgently need on this earth is the Word that comes out of the Lord’s mouth (Deuteronomy 8:3).

Only the Lord, our Shepherd, can lead us from this foreign world to the heavenly kingdom.

We are those who absolutely need the Lord’s guidance.

And we are those who need to be led by the Word that comes from His mouth.

Therefore, like the psalmist, God’s Word must be our delight and our counselor.

To do that, we must taste the joy of His Word.

We must experience the power of God’s Word.

To do that, we must humbly obey God’s Word in faith.

When we keep God’s Word, we can taste God’s power.

Then we will realize how joyful it is to obey God’s Word.

The purpose of our life is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever. To live such a life, we must keep God’s Word. And in order to keep God’s Word, we must pray. We must ask God to open our spiritual eyes (verse 18). We must also long for God’s Word so deeply that our hearts are broken (verse 20). Additionally, we must taste the joy of God’s Word. When we do this, we will be able to keep God’s Word.

I pray that you and I may glorify God and delight in Him by keeping His Word.

Only the Word!

Shared by Pastor James Kim
(Praying that we glorify God and enjoy Him forever by keeping God’s Word)