A core value and one that is the anchor to all else is who or what is the cornerstone of your life. This is the ontic reference point upon which purpose and meaning to your very existence is established. When we sing ‘you are my all in all’ we are referring to this core value by which all else is defined. If this cornerstone of your life is the God of the Bible, then your ontic reference point is by definition perfect power, perfect knowledge, perfect love, as well as perfect justice, beauty, truth, and understanding… all wrapped up in infinite existence.
The really cool thing about all this is God didn’t remain some far away disinterested deity, but wrapped himself up in human flesh and brought His power and love right into our lives. Scripture tells us, “For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.” And He did this when, “The Word (Jesus) became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (2 Cor 4:6, John 1:14) If you have chosen yourself as your ontic reference point, believing that you can establish what’s right and wrong based on how you feel, then what you have established your meaning and purpose on is transitory, decaying, influenced by indigestion and lust, and unable to be trusted over time. God by definition cannot lie or not love you; can you say the same thing about yourself?
Sure, willfully rejecting God as the cornerstone to your core values will not cause lighting to strike with instantaneous death… but just as in Adam’s choice to treasure himself above God, you have set the course of your life towards an infinite death, separated from God and all that by definition is His… love, joy, peace, hope, faithfulness, security, truth, justice, beauty, strength, kindness… and all these perfect and infinite.
Choice wisely….
“There is a nice symmetry in this: Death initially came by a man, and resurrection from death came by a man. Everybody dies in Adam; everybody comes alive in Christ. But we have to wait our turn: Christ is first, then those with him at his Coming, the grand consummation when, after crushing the opposition, he hands over his kingdom to God the Father. He won’t let up until the last enemy is down—and the very last enemy is death! As the psalmist said, “He laid them low, one and all; he walked all over them.” When Scripture says that “he walked all over them,” it’s obvious that he couldn’t at the same time be walked on. When everything and everyone is finally under God’s rule, the Son will step down, taking his place with everyone else, showing that God’s rule is absolutely comprehensive—a perfect ending!” (1 Corinthians 15:21-28 MSG)
Praying 4 U
Written by David Brown: David Brown is a husband, father, grandfather, Pastor with a Masters of Religious Studies and a Professor of Philosophy and Comparative Religions. Dave is the Associate Pastor of Pemberton’s First Baptist Church. He is the author of two devotional books, “From a Chair by the Window.” And “#PrayerWinsThe Day”.
Think About This: “Faith is only as good as the one in whom it’s invested.” – Strobel
The Daily Bible Reading: 1 Timothy 6 | You can download our 2021 Daily Bible Reading Plan by clicking here.
