What Keeps Us Going:
The Motivation for Doing What We Do.
What motivates you to do what you are doing? Where are you amid the present and future uncertainties of human existence? Are you a Christian? What is it that keeps you going?
Pertinent questions!
Watching a World News Summary on television over the last week, I was struck by the level of violence and devastation commonplace on planet Earth. News reports have it that within a space of one month, the Maui wildfire in Hawaii claimed between 97 and 115 lives; the Derna flooding in Libya killed over 2000 including children; apart from 94 aid workers killed while working to retrieve bodies under the rubble. In Morocco, another earthquake left on its trail 2,862 killed, and 2,500 wounded — impacting 100,000 children. Earlier in the year, an earthquake in Turkey left 50,783 deaths, 297 missing, and 107,204 injured.
They all happened suddenly — took people off-guard — cutting short not only human plans, ambitions, and wishful thinking, but also their very existence. They are gone — never to be seen.
With the ongoing wars in Ukraine, the world is grappling with unimaginable costs to human lives, civilization, and the global economy. Not to mention the perennial tension, war-mongering between the two Koreas, and accompanying existential fear of nuclear catastrophe. With the continual killings and unrest between Israel and the Palestinians and the Iranian factor, the world is in turmoil.
Tension at home; tention abroad. There’s no resting place anywhere.
All these are happening at the level of interstate relations thus rendering the United Nations, a World body established to prevent wars — a mere talk-shop and “toothless bull-dog.”
Against the backdrop of chaos and pandemic is the seeming normalcy within national, local, and individual levels of human pursuits: Marriages continue to be contracted, children are born and are being raised and added to the billions of the world population.
At every stage of human growth and endeavor, are milestones of success and accomplishment: Students graduate from school and enter the job market, while businesses and start-ups grow by leaps and bounds in emerging and developing economies. What’s more, scientific and technological breakthroughs are recorded from time to time — the world is about to be ruled by Artificial Intelligence (AI).
Even so, different goals motivate an individual at different stages of life. Our perspectives change as we age. What motivates the old is different from what motivates young people. In Kenya, young boys and girls expend their energies and the greater part of their time practicing for marathons and other long-distance race competitions — at national and international sporting events. They are following in the footsteps of their famous seniors - long-distance runners world champions.
Also in Kenya, a young man is caught trekking about sixteen kilometers through narrow paths and rugged hills in the bush from his home to and fro school every day to get an education. Certainly, he and the other Kenyan youths are highly motivated by what they look forward to becoming in the future. They are kept moving by their life ambitions.
How do we explain the contrasting phenomena in our world? Human history is replete with the contradictions of wars, violence, and destruction on one hand, and palpable socio-economic development on the other. Though there are yawning gaps between the level of development of nations globally, the physical world in general, has seen tremendous growth and development. Sure, human civilization has matched forward — from the primitive to the civilized enlightened society.
We have seen what keeps the youths in Kenya going. It is also true to say that adult men and women are motivated by cravings for power, position, and wealth. People are kept moving by their dreams. There’s the American dream for example.
The question is what is God’s “dream” for the Earth — His ultimate plan for humankind? Is this the Earth He planned for Adam and Eve? (Genesis 3).
Scripture says the present earth is under the control of the evil one. Satan, the father of lies and prince of the air controls the airwaves — he is behind every act of lying and deceit manifesting in the children of disobedience (Ephesians 2:1–3). Courtesy of social media, he broadcasts his hateful spirits to poison the human mind — conspiracy theories, false religion, occultism, grief, bitterness, disease, violence, wars, and death. Satan and his cohorts are on the rampage. But he is on borrowed time.
What did Jesus say about this earth and His coming kingdom? Are you one of those he’s preparing a place for? (John 14: 3).
Let’s recall God created heaven and earth and put humans on the Earth. He dwells in the heavens, from where He came down to fellowship with Adam and Eve in the Garden. Eden was a replica of heaven where God is sovereign. Adam and Eve were banished from Eden when they gave in to the deceit and lies of the serpent. Disobedient sinners cannot stand in God’s presence.
But Jesus came and identified with fallen humanity. The Son of Man laid down his life — his death and resurrection were what was needed to pay for humanity’s sins. Believers in his atoning sacrifice are restored to their position in God’s presence. And the earth, cursed with the fall, is being rebuilt and will be fully restored to God’s original plan at the return of the King, Jesus — when he shall reign with the redeemed in his kingdom.
Jesus will ultimately bring heaven back here on the Earth.
This is the overarching motivation for believers now on earth. It is what keeps both the old and young going. Apostle Paul says “I forget what is behind me. I push hard toward what is ahead of me” (Philippians 3:13).
Are you old or not really, but a believer in Christ, I say bravo. No more distractions, no more baggage or hangovers. You have nothing to worry about.
Heaven is in you and beckoning!!!
