“In Him was life; and the life was the light of men.”  Jn.1:4

One can never find life in life. And those who seek to do so inevitably will find themselves disappointed. What is popularly called “life” among mere mortals is really nothing more than “existence”. Being born, growing up, gaining an education, finding a job, marrying, raising a family, sex, eating , drinking, playing a sport, enjoying a hobby, etc.; these are all wonderful components of our temporary pilgrimage on this planet. But none of them have the capacity to provide life. Happiness maybe, but never life.

The reason is simple. God has rigged this thing we call “life”. Rigged it so that the best life has to offer is never big enough to fill the God-shaped vacuum in our souls. Rigged it so that men and women created in the image of God can never be fully satisfied by anything less than the presence of God. Animals can, but never people. “In Him was life…” is God’s proclamation of His absolute intolerance. Intolerant that He will ever allow what is truly life to be experienced apart from the Supreme Life-giver. Jonathan Edwards put it so well:

“The enjoyment of God is the only happiness with which our souls can be satisfied. To go to heaven, fully to enjoy God, is infinitely better than the most pleasant accommodations here. Fathers and mothers, husbands, wives, or children, or the company of earthly friends, are but shadows; but God is the substance. These are but scattered beams, but God is the sun. These are but streams. But God is the ocean.” (Works, II, 244).

The problem with trying to find life in life is that it is truly mistaking the sun-beam for the sun, and the tributary for the ocean. And, as Edwards says, this is shadowy living at best.