Although it rarely emerges from us, the truth is that at the core of our being we have a determination to live this life with some sense of purpose. There is something irresistible about the methodical way life pounces upon whatever may be capable of sustaining it and will not release it until its own sustenance is guaranteed or fulfilled. It is a fundamental, natural characteristic of life—the innate search for nourishment or satisfaction. Life seeks to fulfill itself, that is to live itself out. The point is that life, wherever it is found, is trying to actualize its unique potential. In other words, the very essence of our lives requires an answer to the question, “What do I want?” How we each answer this query determines the quality of our life.
The pursuit of the answer is not foreign to any of us. We have tried to find the response by focusing on things that are external and tangible. With rugged determination, we have pursued our wants only to discover that the void—the emptiness—is still with us. So, we devise another plan, and conjure up another set of goals, and dream yet another dream.
We face a rude awakening when we are confronted with the truth. Much of what we want is against life, and against life is ultimately against God. The question then becomes not “What do I want?” but “What does God want for my life?” There is a paradox in operation here, however, and that is, in order to receive our wants we must be willing to surrender.
To surrender is to yield the nerve center of your consent to God. This is what we were born to do; it is our sovereign right and birthright privilege. When we yield this part of us to God and exchange our desires for him, we will experience a sense of coming home. Attempts to answer life’s basic questions apart from God place us in a strange land. The story of the prodigal son illustrates the point (see Luke 15). This young man had the need to find a response to life’s questions. He thought that the answer was in a place different from his home. After receiving what he thought he wanted, he discovered that he was in a foreign place. The Scriptures state that when he “came to himself,” he went home to his father.
The season of Christmas is ultimately about making the journey home to God. God in his infinite wisdom knows that apart from our relationship to him, we would not be able to satisfy our wants. God has provided the opportunity for us to answer one of the most fundamental questions of life. He did so by sending his Son, Jesus, to us. No longer must we seek that which does not satisfy. We have an answer in Jesus.