On June 15, 2024, I had the privilege to visit a family who have shown serious dedication to the Lord in our Lagos church. The matriarch of the family turned 50 on that day. It was an opportunity to reflect on the meaning and purpose of life. I notified those who gathered for the celebration that there are two main purposes of life. Firstly, the purpose of life is to fulfill purpose! That may sound tautological, but there is a sense in it. God has a purpose in mind for everyone. The life He gives to us is to be spent in pursuit of that purpose. The second purpose of life is to prepare for eternity.
“The purpose of life is to fulfill purpose!…to fear God and keep His commandments…until one begins to walk in the fear of God, he has not even started living at all.”
My submission on life is not in any way abstract. It is what you can glean from the Bible. Specifically, the book of Ecclesiastes puts it so clearly. To begin with, the book is as scientific as is practical. It is scientific because it began with an academic hunch, searching for meaning. It is practical because it deals with life. Solomon wanted to know what human beings should devote their lives to. In other words, he was searching for meaning and purpose in life. That was what led him to series of experiment, trying anything that drew his fancy. In the end he came out with a timeless conclusion which is what we have in our text today. The grand purpose of man here on earth is to fear God and keep His commandments. In other words, until one begins to walk in the fear of God, he has not even started living at all.