How to Wake Up to a Meaningful Life

On-line dictionaries define “woke” as being “alert to injustice or racism.” It really means politically correct/progressive which is a cover for Marxism-Socialism (e.g. the three founders of Black Lives Matter are avowed Marxists).

Woke Cancel Culture wants to rid America of its Christian heritage and principles–and is doing a pretty good job of it today.

I will never be “woke” because I love Jesus Christ, His purpose for America and nations, and my belief in Truth–the biblical worldview. And many years ago, I really woke up to a fabulously meaningful life.

You can too.

How to Wake Up to a Meaningful Life

During my early years as a follower of Jesus, I fastened a little sign on top of my alarm clock. When the alarm buzzed to get up, I stared at Isaiah 50:4:

“He awakens me morning by morning. He awakens my ear to listen as a disciple. I was not disobedient, nor did I turn back.”

How’s that for get-out-of bed motivation? God was awakening me to the possibilities and responsibilities of a new day. I must not hit the snooze button and miss the details.

Waking up to this powerful Scripture trained me to think of God first in the morning. I was his disciple. He was my Master and boss. The day was not mine. It was His. He had redeemed me from a selfish existence and had a purpose for my life.

A few years later I joined Youth With A Mission and learned much more about disciplined discipleship. Slowly my life began to be focus on doing His will–living for the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31). What was His purpose for my minutes, days, and years?

Let me share another revelation God gave on the importance of giving our time to God.

One morning during my regular devotions, I was reading Psalm 90–the only psalm (not “palm” as President Biden pronounced it) written by Moses. Since Israel’s deliverer from slavery was a wise man who talked with God face-to-face, I knew I could learn some things from him about time management.

Psalm 90 speaks about the brevity and trials of life. As Billy Graham remarked near the end of his journey: “The one thing I’ve learned about life is how short it is.”

Another wise man.

Moses must have been meditating on a similar truth. It caused him to exclaim in Psalm 90:12:

“Teach us to number our days that we might apply our hearts to wisdom.”

The words “number our days” leapt off the page at me. I knew what they meant: Don’t waste any moments on earth. Live with meaning, purpose, and significance. Keep track of your time.

I instantly whipped out a calculator. I was thirty-four years old. The date was January 4, 1988 (I started keeping a journal in 1972 to record my spiritual journey.) Using the calculator based on 365 days a year (while acknowledging Leap Years), I calculated I had lived 12,687 days.

Exactly.

Then, reasoning how long I might live (based on the lifetimes of my grandparents), I settled on eight-five years as a possible endpoint. Of course, it could be much sooner or longer (my mom died at 35 and my dad at 94). Using the calculator again, and based on an 85-year lifetime, I figured I might have 18,319 days left to live.

That’s 31,000 days. 

Starting on January 4, 1988, I started numbering my days in my journal–how many I had lived, and how many I might have left. I also started using a sheet in my notebook called “My Numbered Days” where I prayed over and planned future steps.

Call me a mad man with a calculator, but God and Moses call it “remembering the shortness of life.”

It was fascinating when I hit the “halfway point” on September 12, 1995: 15,512 days lived and left. Today, my numbered days stand at 25,511 lived and 6,369 left. The top of the “hour-glass” is much smaller than the bottom. And during that thirty-three-year blur, I have tried with all my heart to live a meaningful life for the glory of God.

What does that mean in practical terms?

Three questions might provide answers.

1. How can I fulfill the Great Commission today?

During the early eighties I met with Dr. Bill Bright, the founder of Campus Crusade for Christ (now Cru) at a hotel in Seattle. I don’t remember the reason for the appointment as we were working on various projects. But I’ll never forget what he said. Though he was jet-lagged and still in his pajamas, he purposely discipled me by remarking:

“Ron, I get up every day and ask God what I can do to fulfill the Great Commission.”

Wow. I should have put that one on my alarm clock also.

The Great Commission is a command for every follower of Christ. How can we reach the lost? What nations can we impact by supporting missionaries? Who can I share my faith with today?

There is no more meaningful life than sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ with all we can. Do you think about it daily? At work, school, or in your neighborhood? Do you look for opportunities to talk about Jesus at home, nearby, and even around the world (Acts 1:8)?

Living for the Great Commission will help number your days–and wake up to a meaningful life.

2. Who can I serve today?

A few years ago, I realized that life contained only two things: people and stuff. In other words, there were human beings in my life to bless and things I must take care of. That’s it. There’s nothing else.

Life completely revolves around relationships and possessions.

In my relational world, I am called to love my family, friends, co-workers and all whom I meet–including my enemies. To live a significant and God-oriented life, I must intentionally serve the people in my life. I view these relationships as assignments from God.

To live a meaningful life–for the glory of God–I must wake up each day and plan my hours and day around serving others. Some are automatic–like work. Other hours are “free.” But I can use them for self or use them to encourage others.

Do you wake up each day and ask God who you can serve?

3. How can I steward what God has given me?

We all have possessions consisting of homes, cars, equipment, checkbooks, property, and the like. Do we have them because God led and provided for us? Do we take good care of them to glorify him and bless those around us?

It’s wonderful to wake up on a “free” day and ask God how to steward what He’s given. You can’t go wrong with following His directions.

Meaning, purpose, significance seem to be a mirage for many people. But not for those fulfilling their part in the Great Commission, serving people around them and being good stewards of their possessions.

It doesn’t matter what’s happening in the world. In fact, according to Mike Huckabee, a large backlash to the madness is coming. 

With God, you can wake up each day to joy and meaning (like the students above at Church of the King in Baton Rouge, Louisiana). You can live to glorify God.

Rick Warren explains: “How is it possible to do everything to the glory of God? Doing everything as if you were doing it for Jesus and by carrying on a continual conversation with him while you do it.”

So, number your days. Talk to God.

Then each day will be filled with eternal meaning.