The Search for Meaning – Dr. Hona Amer

Scripture:

“There was a man of the Pharisee sect, Nicodemus, a prominent leader among the Jews. Late one night he visited Jesus and said, ‘Rabbi, we all know you’re a teacher straight from God. No one could do all the God-pointing, God-revealing acts you do if God weren’t in on it.’ Jesus said, ‘You’re absolutely right. Take it from me: Unless a person is born from above, it’s not possible to see what I’m pointing to—to God’s kingdom….This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life. God didn’t go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again’.” John 3:1-3, 16-17 (MSG)

Perspective:

When you are trying to make an important life decision, it weighs heavy on your heart and mind. It keeps you awake at night as you recount the pros and cons of the decision. Even after everything has settled down for the day, it can seem like your mind just won’t turn off. It can seem like the questions that we face in the day are magnified by the silence of the night.

Nicodemus was a religious leader of his day and was searching for meaning. He was trying to dissect and understand Jesus’ teaching. However, since seeking Jesus out wasn’t popular, he came to him at night. It was as if when all fell silent at the end of a busy day, Nicodemus was still searching. As he engaged in conversation with Jesus, Jesus began to explain how he could find meaning. Jesus told Nicodemus that the way to find the meaning that he was searching for was through a relationship with God. Similarly, at some point, we all search for meaning and purpose. We want to know why we are living and breathing, but more than that, we want to find purpose and fulfillment. Once we come into relationship with Jesus, we have purpose to reach out to others, but our purpose can become stagnat if we let it. We can’t just know our purpose; we have to activate it. We have to live in that purpose when we are at work, with our family, and even at the grocery store. So, as you search for meaning, answers, and fulfillment, may your search begin and end with Jesus.