What Matters - 03/03/10
By Seth Fellows
Between the frantic searching for accommodation, the anticipated move away from home, the making and consolidation of friendships, looking into those tricky subject choices and timetables, buying the necessary uni equipment, and whatever else may have wormed its way into your already hectic schedule − week one of session has truly started ... and life is busy!
But it’s not just us, the uni students, who are busy − everybody seems to be! Our society is constantly rushing from long hours of work to social gatherings with friends or family and then back to work meetings and a host of other events.
Everyone is caught up in near perpetual busyness. Time is money and we are slaves to consumerism. But the question begs to be asked: why? Why do we do all that we do, and does it even matter? Dietrich Bonhoeffer once wrote: “To recognize the significant in the factual is wisdom”. Another of my favourite quotes states: “We should not be afraid of failure, rather at succeeding at what is not important”. So what is significant, what is important?
The Bible, God’s word, emphatically declares: “Acknowledge and take to heart this day that the Lord is God in heaven above and on the earth below. There is no other.” (Deut 4:39)
God is significant! God matters! The God Who Is proves Himself to be as He claims − compassionate, gracious, loving, faithful and just (Exodus 34: 6-7). He has shown His great love for us in the giving of His Son. And because of all this our lives matter.
Without Him, our lives can only ever surmount to a meaningless ‘chasing after the wind,’ but with Him and through Him we have a hope and a future, a reason and a purpose.
“Here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.” (Ecclesiastes 12:13)
So in all of the busyness of university and life, will you be living a life that is significant? How will you live a life that matters before the God Who Is?
Seth Fellows is the president of the ECU. He is studying medicinal chemistry, and has just returned to Australia after spending a session in Germany doing a research project.
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