What is the Chief and Highest End of Man?

Man's chief and highest end is to glorify God and fully to enjoy him forever

When I write a story, the characters I invent belong to ME. In a sense, you could say that I created them- I can do whatever I want with them. I can make them be however I want them to be; do whatever I want them to do; say anything I please. (This isn’t a rant about the ‘power’ or writers or anything!) Usually I figure out the whole plot (or most of it) and then cause events to happen to my characters that will bring them along this plan and bring about my ultimate (good) ending. I don’t like sad endings, mostly I use cliff hangers because I never want to say good bye to my ‘people’ and I like sequels; never ending action, intrigue, and complicated decisions.

This is both a good and a bad analogy of life.

Bad, in that I am a human, my characters are not real life; I am by no means a perfect character designer; and neither do I claim to be a flawless inventor of seamless plots.

Good, in that God ‘invented’ us (and everything else), made us exactly how He wanted to, and we are His. Some people may not ‘belong’ to Him through His Son, but all of creation (even the devil and his fallen angels) belong to God. He is writing the Ultimate Story with millions and millions of characters who are all accomplishing His will through so many separate sub-plots that really are connected which will all bring everyone eventually to the well-planned conclusion.

Wait…what?

I mean, have you ever really thought about how complicated human life is? I’m sure you have. Focus awhile though on how we are made and how all of matter lives, works, and breathes perfectly through His unparalleled blueprint for protons, neutrons, electrons, atoms, molecules, chemicals… all the way up to complicated processes which go on in our bodies. Then add the human mind. And the human will. And put a million or so of us onto one planet. With ecosystems and billions of other creatures... Thank goodness God is sovereign! I can barely manage my thirty or so characters, and I didn't have to start from scratch- I guess that shows I’m only a writer.

I'm only a writer, but God is God. Sometimes man tends to reduce God to a little old man who likes to 'mess around' with peoples' lives, but really is just a great 'guy in the sky'. When I consider Thy heavens, the works of Thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which Thou hast ordained; What is man, that Thou art mindful of him? And the son of man, that Thou visitest him? (Ps. 8:3-4)

Most good authors, writers, speakers or debaters have a point. Sometimes they have many points, but there usually is one major, all presiding point that weaves throughout their whole story (article, speech, argument…). What’s God’s point? What’s the purpose of humanity? The Bible is just full of points, things God wants to make clear about Himself and us, but what can we see woven through all of history? What is He doing?

He is bringing glory to Himself.

It’s one of the great mysteries of life, but the answer lies in the fact that God is sovereign. Every good author knows that, in works of fiction especially, conflict is necessary to the plot. Why is that? Well, we’re just copying real life, so conflict is necessary to the Plot. Couldn’t God bring glory to Himself without suffering, without pain, without death and sin? Of course He could.

But He didn’t make it that way. We have to trust Him that He knows exactly what He’s doing. After all, we are created beings. He is the Creator Being. He made us, guides our lives, and saved us through His Son’s blood. Either by death or His Coming we will go to Heaven forever.

It was His plan. Isn’t it wonderful?

Psalm 145:3-6 – Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; and His greatness is unsearchable. One generation shall praise Thy works to another, and shall declare Thy mighty acts. I will speak of the glorious honour of Thy majesty, and of Thy wondrous works. And men shall speak of the might of Thy terrible acts: and I will declare Thy greatness

Psalm 105:5 – Remember His marvelous works that He hath done; His wonders, and the judgments of His mouth.

Psalm 119:27 – Make me to understand the way of Thy precepts: so shall I talk of Thy wondrous works.