My Worldview.

In my Personal Responsibility class, my teacher asked us to write an essay explaining our worldview. Here is mine.

One of the simplest aspects of my worldview is that I believe there is a God, and he is active and involved in the world today. “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth,” (Gen 1:1). Even before the beginning, God was. He is today, and He will continue to be for eternity; “‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come.’ Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever” (Rev. 4:8b-9). I never realized what profound implications this simple belief has on the way I live and think about my life.

Without a perfect, overseeing God, the universe has no purpose. If everything just appeared here by chance, the incredible complexities and organization of cells, of atoms, of ecosystems, and of the human mind, all of it would be pointless. If the stars were just there, not to be beautiful, not to burn up hydrogen, but just to be, we are left longing for some completion and something more. People are left questioning if none of these things serve a purpose, do we? Because there is a God who created our world, this universe exists to glorify Him and reflect His goodness. “And they were calling to one another: ‘Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory’” (Isa. 6:3); “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands” (Ps. 19:1). Nature even is a witness to God. “Since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse” (Romans 1:19-20).

Human beings possess a deep desire to search for the meaning of it all. Because the universe has meaning, we humans have meaning as well. If the stars and the trees and the rocks all serve to glorify God, then how much more do we as thinking beings with free will? In the end, all will glorify God whether they have chosen to glorify Him in their life or not during judgment: "By myself I have sworn, my mouth has uttered in all integrity a word that will not be revoked: Before me every knee will bow; by me every tongue will swear” (Isa. 45:23).

Incorporating these concepts into daily life is a different matter than grasping theology. As humans, we can only begin to fathom the awesomeness of God; we even have troubles grasping creation in all its vastness. But even if we really applied the most basic realizations, we would continually be seeking out how to learn more about God. “One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple” (Psalms 27:4).

In all the expanse of our world, what better place is there to seek the Lord than in his own Words? “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,” (2 Tim. 3:16) so someone who fully grasps the realization of the Creator will make time to study His words. David, with full-fledged passion for scripture, goes so far as to say “Blessed is the man who[’s]…delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night” (Psalm 1:1). That kind of desire involves more than meaningless tradition, more than reading out of habit; it stems from seeking God with your whole heart.

Unfortunately, a wrench is thrown into this plan when sinful humans are introduced. The fact is, on our own, we have no power to seek out God passionately. We are all fallen. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23); we all fail to see Him and glorify Him as He should be. Many of us learned this verse in Sunday school before we knew how to ride a two-wheeler, and think its only value is in Romans Road and bible camp. This year I am learning first-hand about how even mature Christians (gasp!) fall short in our daily walk with God; “apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). There is nothing in my life I can’t depend on Jesus for, even the simple task of being passionate about seeking him in scripture. Humility is a direct result of this fact. I am learning that if you call to God with your whole heart, in realization of who He is, and he will answer; “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:13). In other words, ask God to give you passion for His Word, and he won’t disappoint.