The Meaning of Life
Molly and I have been re-watching the first three seasons of The Crown in anticipation of season 4, which was released on Netflix on Sunday. (Don’t judge us!) In the episode we saw last night, Prince Philip, Queen Elizabeth’s husband, despaired that he had reached middle age and had not found the meaning of life. His mother and the Queen had faith, but Philip had lost his. Meanwhile, the Queen had hired a new bishop, Robin Woods, to serve at the church on the palace grounds. Woods introduced himself to Philip and asked if he could use one of the unoccupied buildings as a retreat center for middle-aged ministers who were dealing with burn out and struggling with discouragement over shrinking congregations.
Philip gave his approval but doubted the worthiness of the cause. Woods invited Philip to come and meet his guests, but when Philip arrived, he mocked them. He said that the meaning of life is measured by action, not sitting around whining and complaining about their station in life. Philip was a man of action and his thoughts had been shaped by the Apollo 11 lunar landing which happened only days before. He greatly admired the astronauts and jumped at the chance to meet them. He hoped that men who had soared through space and walked on the surface of the moon would have answers to life’s big questions. Surely being so far from earth would make them feel either closer to God or stoke their awe of God for his vast and majestic universe. Philip wanted some insight into the mysteries of the meaning of life.
He was disappointed that the astronauts were young men who had never given any thought to deeper truths. They had not considered their place in the universe while accomplishing such an awesome feat. They were much more interested in superficial things, like what it was like for Philip to live in such an amazing palace and be married to the Queen. Philip was devastated. He yearned to fill the void in his heart. He thought the astronauts would hold new secrets to understanding God and life. The astronauts didn’t know, and even worse, they didn’t care.
Philip returned to Woods’ meeting the following week, humbled by the knowledge that he could not find significance in life on his own, or through men who had accomplished one of the most daring and courageous achievements in history. He confessed that he was lost and begged for help. The episode ends with Philip and Woods walking the palace grounds together, but we never hear his advice to Philip.
As I watched, I thought, “What would I say to Philip if he had come to me in such anguish, lacking faith and desperately seeking the meaning of life and his significance in the world?” A man like that would seem to have everything. Yet, he was distraught because something was missing. His title and fame that others might envy smothered him. He hadn’t reached his potential, or accomplished notable things, because his duty was to serve the Queen.
I wonder if any of us can relate. Many of us have reached the age where there are more years behind us than before us. Have our lives mattered? Have we made a difference? Have we accomplished anything worthwhile? Looking inward for fulfillment can be depressing. Here’s what I would say to Philip, and to anyone else asking those questions.
You are looking for meaning in the wrong places. A successful life is not measured by personal achievements, but in faithfulness to God, and in enjoying what He has provided. Philip’s lack of faith and relationship with God was the issue. Solomon, the richest and wisest man in the world had the same questions. He had tried everything to satisfy his hunger, but could not fulfill himself with anything on earth. He wrote down what he finally realized in Ecclesiastes 3:11-12: “He has made everything appropriate in its time. He has also set eternity in their heart, without the possibility that mankind will find out the work which God has done from the beginning even to the end. I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice and to do good in one’s lifetime.”
The most important thing to know is that God has set eternity in our hearts, so that earthly and material things will never fully satisfy us. Like Philip, we will always crave more than what we have. Ultimate satisfaction can only be discovered in knowing that we are just visitors on this earth and that our home is in heaven. What is the meaning of life? The meaning of life is to be confident that we will spend eternity with Jesus in heaven. The way we do that is to know that we are sinners separated from a holy God, and to believe in Jesus Christ for our salvation. Trust that Jesus died for our sins and rose from the dead so that by faith in Him, we too will rise from the dead to eternity in heaven.
In the meantime, we rejoice in the simple pleasures that God has given to us knowing that every day is a gift. Praise God. Do good to others. Enjoy your family. Live by faith and share it with others. All of these habits practiced day-by-day result in a meaningful, valuable, and enjoyable life. In the postscript to the episode, it said that Philip and Woods became life-long friends. I bet that over the years, Woods gave Philip that advice many times. Woods died and went to his home in heaven in 1997. Prince Philip is a few months from his 100th birthday. I pray that he has discovered the meaning of life and that we have too.