"Purpose? What purpose?"

I've been struggling with this question of purpose recently. And I know so many of us do, because books such as "The Purpose Driven Life" by Rick Warren are snatched up as soon as they come off the press. Why? Because we all want to know that our lives have value--that we have a purpose for living here on earth besides the everyday monotony of school or work or whatever else occupies our time.

As a Christian, I cannot help but come back to one conclusion, which comes from the Westminister Shorter Catechism, which I learned as a very young child:

Q: What is man's chief end? A: Man's chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever!

I told Dad last night about this incredibly revelation, and he simply said he couldn't remember the exact quote, but that C.S. Lewis had once said that life is about finding that the trite truths really are true. For example, we can sing "Jesus Loves Me" in Sunday School, but if we go to our deathbeds and have discovered that the following saying is true, then we have indeed learned to live:

Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so.

These truths are so crucial and so simple. I often wonder at God's marvellous patience that He does not bonk us on the head with a 2X4 and say, "duh! Don't you get it?" and pound it into our skulls. As Dad likes to point out: the Holy Spirit is truly a gentleman. He will not force himself upon us. We must learn to listen to Him.

I'd love to look more into this subject of purpose and maybe write an Original Oratory on the subject for next year's speech and debate tournament (no, school never is far from my mind), so if you have any thoughts or comments or questions, PLEASE feel free to comment!