I am retired from paid work, which does not mean I sit around all day doing nothing. Some days I wish I could! But one of the things retirement has allowed me to do is to ponder the great questions of this life.
Questions like: Why am I here? What is the meaning of life? How come we only live for seventy or so years and no more? Which came first, the chicken or the egg?
One of the things I learned is that some questions are important, some are urgent and some are pointless. For example, when you are retired and living in the twilight of your life, the question of mortality and the knowledge that your expected life span is reaching it's human conclusion, do weigh heavily. Not that I am morbid about it or planning to leave this mortal coil any time in the near future! There is still valuable and important work I believe the Lord wants me to do while He has me here.
When I was a young man I didn't think or worry about such things. Life seemed limitless. But as I got older I realised there is a definite boundary on this life. So recognising those boundaries is important.
The Purpose of Life
Life has a purpose. There is a reason for our existence and it is the task of all people to discover what the purpose of life is all about.
It occurred to me that the purpose of life and the reason God gave us these seventy or so years boils down to answering one simple question. We must make a decision as we answer the question that is the meaning of life in this world, for the answer to this question determines our future. The one question all mankind must answer in this lifetime is this.
Are you with God or against Him?
When it comes to this question you cannot be like Switzerland in the war. There is no neutral territory. There is no sitting on the fence. To do nothing and ignore the question is a decision in its own right. Neutrality is rejection. Neutrality says, "No. I am not with God."
Every person at some point in their life faces this question and they must make a decision one way or the other.
Chicken or The Egg
Now the value of answering this question makes many of the other great philosophical questions and debates simple to answer. Provided of course that your answer is that you are on the side of God and not standing against Him.
When we stand with God, all the great philosophical questions disappear because we understand that things are the way they are because that is how God made them.
What happens to people happens because that is the will of God. Whether I live or die, am employed or unemployed, have anything or nothing comes down to what God's will is for me.
And so too that other great philosophical question, debated for many decades is easily answered and understood, including the one alluded to by the title of this article.
Which came first, the chicken or the egg?
If you choose to reject God the answer is complex and confusing. It cannot be understood because in the absence of a divine Creator, there is no explanation for why things are the way they are.
The theory of evolution, which by the way we must remember is still a "theory" because it has never been proven, is plagued with contradictions in the natural world. Science has not been able to explain the simple facts of existence because they choose to ignore the one who brought all things into existence.
Under it there is the constant seeking for the "missing link." But they fail to understand that if life evolved as they claim, then there must be an infinite number of "missing links" as all life evolved from one form to another. Where is the reptile that is half bird? Where is the cow that is half rabbit? Where is the marsupial that is half frog? And of course the big one, where is the man that is half ape?
However, when you choose to be on the side of God, the answer is plain and simple. All that exists was made by the will of God according to His definite and very, very detailed plan so that there would be perfect balance in the universe. Everything exists exactly as He planned it and there is nothing out of balance.
Indeed, the entire universe only makes sense when there is a Creator who made the things we see and feel around us. Without a Creator there is only chaos.
And thus I can confidently say, with no doubt whatsoever in my mind, the answer to that great philosophical question as to which came first...it was the chicken!
Which leaves only one difficult question that remains open to debate...why did the chicken cross the road?
Since retiring from work, John Lemmon now spends his time teaching, preaching and writing about the word of God, answering God's call on him to "Speak to my people." John and his wife Colleen travel all over Australia and you will often find him playing guitar or ukulele outside their caravan somewhere in the Great Outback. You can connect with John on Twitter (@JohnBLemmon) or on his Christian Bible study blog (freegiftfromgod.com/blog).
John Lemmon's previous articles may be viewed at http://www.pressserviceinternational.org/john-lemmon.html