An Outreach Publication of the Church of Christ at Creekwood  

A Life Worth Living

The story has been told of the time a passerby came upon an archer who had been practicing his art.  The visitor was amazed at the archer’s ability, for wherever he saw a target, he saw an arrow in the CENTER of the bull’s eye.  When asked the key to his precision, the archer replied, “I must confess: first I shoot the arrow - then wherever the arrow lands, I place the target around it.  That way.... I NEVER miss!”

The moral of the story: If you aim at NOTHING - you are SURE to hit it!

Socrates once said: "The unexamined life is the life NOT worth living."  
The unexamined  life is comparable to the method of the archer. The unexamined life lacks: a sense of direction, a purpose for living, AND a standard to measure progress.  It is aimless, haphazard, and futile.

The examined  life, however, is much more productive.  Examination calls for direction.  What are my goals in life?  Examination assists evaluation.  Am I reaching my goals?   Examination can provide motivation.  Why do I want to 
achieve my goals?

With the coming of the New Year, it is a good time for ALL of us to examine our lives.  We need to identify the GOOD habits in our lives and continue doing them.  We also need to do away with those BAD habits!

Here are some questions that are helpful in examining our lives:

1.     Am I taking good care of my body?  Am I eating right, exercising regularly, and getting plenty of rest?  If not, what can I do to improve my physical health?

2.     Are my relationships with others healthy?  Am I giving my family members the time that they deserve and need to be healthy?  Have I been a good friend to my friends?

3.     How is my life spiritually?  Have I grown stronger in faith?  Have I been giving glory to God in my life?  Have I been obedient to His will?

The questions in #3 may sound strange to you at first, however, it is often one’s spiritual health  that is most often neglected, yet it is the MOST important of ALL!  Caring for our physical bodies AND our focus on family has great value - but attending to our spiritual  well being is profitable for ALL things, having the promise of life NOW AND the life that is to come (See 1Timothy 4:8).

Ultimately the most important question to be answered in each of our lives is: 
Am
I in Christ ?  In fact, one’s eternal destiny depends upon the answer to this 
VERY question!

To be in Christ means to be in a right relationship with Him.  One is baptized 
INTO
Christ (Galatians 3:26-27) based upon one’s faith in Jesus (Acts 16:31), repentance of sins (Acts 17:30-31), and confession of Christ (Romans 10:9-10).  
One REMAINS in Christ when he walks according to His will (see Romans 8:1-4).

Examine your life (2 Corinthians 13:5).  Are YOU in Christ, walking according to HIS will?

It is ONLY when we are in Christ that life is TRULY worth living!

God bless you.

David A. Sargent, Minister 

Church of Christ at Creekwood 

1901 Schillinger Rd. S.
Mobile, Alabama  36695

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