Meaning: “conveying a significance that is not directly expressed . . .”
If all that we have considered concerning meaning and adventure has not made you an ardent seeker by now, Gentle Reader, I have not spoken well enough of either one, because meaning gives rise to commitment and right meaning arouses passion in the seeker, and hopefully an appreciation of the adventure of it all, creating the ardent seeker.
Now, please note, Dear Reader, one must allow that some people search better for meaning than others. As we have seen, some rely on God in their searches and some don’t; and such a situation gives the unbeliever a definite handicap in that God describes Himself as the first and last word in meaning-making. One must even concede that some don’t search for meaning at all. But many of us (and certainly the thoughtful sort—in fact, even airhead debutantes) are ardent seekers and do search for meaning in the fellowship of God with relish and out of intellectual curiosity. Thank God!
Still, a further problem probable to suppose is that various searchers at one time or another may give up on the search, either permanently or intermittently. Yet there are many, many ardent seekers (and I pray I may always be one)—searchers who relish the enjoyment of the quest/its great rewards— who persevere in it; and even many who agree with me (as mentioned in the previous blog) upon the value of the quest and savor coming to terms with the meaning of life. For us, it is very rewarding to learn that, first and foremost, the adventure in life and the meaning of life is a loving relationship with the Father through a relationship with the Lord Jesus by the power of Holy Spirit.
As the life-time adventure unfolds, it is also extremely reassuring to ardent seekers to find that through Christ we are adopted members of the Godhead’s royal family (Ephesians 1:3-6, NKJV). And it is awesome to ardent seekers to grasp that we have access to God the Father Himself in Christ Jesus. What an adventure! What a privilege!
And then, and then, Dear Reader, when the ardent seeker begins to put all those realizations together and has her/his first great moment of overall insight and sees that the meaning of life is to belong to a Holy Family with an unlimited future; well, that moment to her/him is nothing short of one of the most gratifying and touching moments available on earth.
I see lots of people living this—the adventure of Christ’s meaningful life, Dear Reader; and to them I easily defer as either my superiors or my equal in thought, word and deed; or, regardless of their stage of growth, as very precious to God, at the very least (which is really not a least situation at all). I celebrate us all. My life, the life of other believers—though her/his life, not one is perfect. Yet each is or was or will be well worth living, shining examples of the profitability of the adventure of a meaningful life in the Son and membership in the Father’s eternal Holy Family.
I hope that for one and all, enjoyment in discovery of the meaning of life never ends. It is an adventure beyond compare. And as I come to a close on Implication #2: Meaning Making as an Adventure, I heartily congratulate all ardent seekers on their commitment to adventure in Christ Jesus and good use of their power of choice.
That’s life with true meaning!
To be continued . . .
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