The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom.

The promise of eternity gives life an objective purpose. It provides meaning for even the most mundane of activities. Christians make this philosophical argument for God often, and I think the counter is that we hold onto this so dearly because we can't handle our own humanity. But it's not about needing a crutch, it's what seems logical if you actually consider the human condition.

The Christian... bus driver, to take Phillip Jensen's example, doesn't waste his life driving from Circular Quay to Central day in day out because every action is performed with the intent to glorify God and serve others. If God is your prime motivation, your work will last into eternity. It has meaning.

But I hear the objections: why can't any old person just enjoy driving a bus? Why can't anybody just be good to others because it makes them happy? Why do you need God to provide meaning? Why are you so hung up on meaning in the first place?

Initially I was stumped by this. I'm surrounded by people who, on the surface at least, are happy with their circumstance, with going out into the world and taking all that they can. And who could blame them? Life is short. Live it. Meaning is what you make it. If you waste your life, that's your business.

But think about this for a minute. The opportunity to go out and 'live out the dream' is only afforded to the upper middle classes of Western society. Sure, they can live happily and ignore that God provides the ultimate meaning for their life, they can ignore the promise of eternity because right now - everything is riches and happiness. Why must God enter the equation?

But for millions, possibly billions of people, their life is nothing but drudgery, misery and a cruel joke if eternity does not exist. The Gospel, the knowledge that Jesus' death and resurrection provides forgiveness of sins and the hope of life eternal can give meaning to the lives of men, women and children who would not have thought it possible. Their lives are immediately transformed and given purpose once they know of eternity.

This is an incredible thought, really. You could spend your life in the most miserable of circumstances, but if you have that hope, if you know God, nothing can break you. And I've read of so many examples of people who have known this truth and lived joyfully in it, regardless of where God has placed them.

Keep your shiny things. Eternity will show them for what they really are. I wish I wasn't so surrounded by the lie!