My Generation Did Not Have the Answer! What About Yours?

Robert Redford, a wildly famous actor of yesteryear, starred in a 1972 movie titled “The Candidate.” As I recall, Redford played a lawyer who was courted and swayed by a powerful political party to run against a well-respected incumbent Senator. The movie was all about the political race, and viewers were satisfied when the handsome and charismatic character played by Redford **WON** the election! 

Just before the credits, amid an uproarious celebration, the camera follows our hero, The Candidate, as he weaves through his adoring crowd of supporters trying to find someone, anyone who can answer his urgent question…”What do I do now?” 

In 1975 Diana Ross sang a haunting song from the movie “Mahogany” titled “Do You Know Where You’re Going To?” The song was just that, a question with no answer.

There are many other examples from my youth , and I would imagine that the same could be said about your generation, whenever it was; even now. All generations seem to ask the same questions: “Where am I going?” and “What do I do now?” 

It is the voice of despair in those who have no answers. They can only ask questions. 

Sometimes the answer-less questions are hidden by clever sayings that mask reality, like: “It’s all about the journey, not the destination.” 

That’s great if you really don’t know where life is taking you; or if you sell cars; or if you explore the galaxy in the Star Ship Enterprise. However, a positive twist, a marketing plan, a space fantasy; these do not answer life’s questions. For many people, despair lingers.

Even popular church leaders have jumped on the bandwagon of 'the journey' thinking. They say that Christians ought to stop thinking about and arguing about one's eternal destination: heaven or hell. Such conversations are too divisive, they say; we all just need to work together to feed and clothe the world. 

Yet, in every generation, even entertainers are asking riveting questions. They represent the keen awareness of our culture that it IS important to know where the journey ends. So, feed and clothe the world, but to what end??? 

As Christians we must not follow popular preachers on an aimless journey or wallow in despair not knowing where we are going or what to do next. We live lives of substance every day (the journey), and we are headed somewhere wonderful (the destination). We KNOW this because of the declarations and promises of God! The Apostle Paul captured it well as he wrote:

I have fought the good faith, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved his appearing.   --2 Timothy 4:7-8

‘Fighting the good fight,’ ‘finishing the course,’ and ‘keeping the faith’ all describe Paul’s critically important journey. Yet, the journey was not his only focus. The ‘crown of righteousness’ described his destination. While Paul used figurative language to describe his journey and destination, he make it clear that the destination is real and awaits all those who love Christ. God has revealed to us in His word both ‘where we’re going to’ and ‘what to do now.’

Set your eyes on heaven; keep the faith!

Mark Stinnett