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TITLE:
Subtitle: Is This Life All There Is?
Peggy Lee, the famous singer who died in January of 2002 at the age of 81, received many accolades during her lifetime, but perhaps she was more widely known for her work in Walt Disney's film "Lady and the Tramp." In that animated classic she provided the voice for both "Lady" and the Siamese cats. However, on a much more somber note, the lyrics of one of her earlier songs is haunting in that it accurately reflects the emptiness of the depraved human heart. It is entitled:
IS THAT ALL THERE IS?
(Emphasis mine)
SPOKEN:
I remember when I was a very little girl, our house caught on fire.
I'll never forget the look on my father's face as he gathered me up
in his arms and raced through the burning building out to the pavement.
I stood there shivering in my pajamas and watched the whole world go
up in flames.
And when it was all over I said to myself, "Is that all there is to
a fire"
SUNG:
Is that all there is, is that all there is
If that's all there is my friends, then let's keep dancing
Let's break out the booze and have a ball
If that's all there is
SPOKEN:
And when I was 12 years old, my father took me to a circus, the greatest
show on earth.
There were clowns and elephants and dancing bears.
And a beautiful lady in pink tights flew high above our heads.
And so I sat there watching the marvelous spectacle.
I had the feeling that something was missing.
I don't know what, but when it was over,
I said to myself, "is that all there is to a circus?
SUNG:
Is that all there is, is that all there is
If that's all there is my friends, then let's keep dancing
Let's break out the booze and have a ball
If that's all there is
SPOKEN:
Then I fell in love, head over heels in love, with the most wonderful
boy in the world.
We would take long walks by the river or just sit for hours gazing
into each other's eyes.
We were so very much in love.
Then one day he went away and I thought I'd die, but I didn't,
and when I didn't I said to myself, "is that all there is to love?"
SUNG:
Is that all there is, is that all there is
If that's all there is my friends, then let's keep dancing
Let's break out the booze and have a ball
If that's all there is
SPOKEN:
I know what you must be saying to yourselves,
if that's the way she feels about it why doesn't she just end it all?
Oh, no, not me. I'm in no hurry for that final
disappointment,
for I know just as well as I'm standing here
talking to you,
when that final moment comes and I'm breathing
my last breath, I'll be saying to myself
SUNG:
Is that all there is, is that all there is
If that's all there is my friends, then let's
keep dancing
Let's break out the booze and have a ball
If that's all there is!
These lyrics were the songwriter's way of expressing the Epicurean philosophy of "Eat, drink, and be merry--for tomorrow we die!" A similar sentiment was echoed by a popular beer commercial of a few years back which said, "You only go around once, so grab all the gusto you can!" In other words, the popular belief is if this life is "all there is"--then all of us need to have as much fun as possible.
Do you agree with that philosophy of life? And if so, can you honestly say that most of the time you feel truly satisfied and content? Or would you not have to admit there is an emptiness deep within that will not go away, no matter how much fun you have and no matter how hard you to try to fill the void? For untold millions this "hole" is a daily reality and usually stays just below the level of consciousness--only to pop up occasionally when they are feeling blue and depressed--an itch that seemingly cannot be scratched and the more it tries to enter their thoughts, the more it is resisted.
My friend, that empty space in the human heart was originally occupied by the One Who created us! God intended that we fellowship with Him, but when sin entered the picture communion was broken. (See previous article entitled, "The Hole In The Heart Of Humanity" at www.cuttingedge.org/articles/p225.html.). And no amount of fame, fortune, and fun can ever bring lasting happiness/contentment to those who live with that void in their lives. Millions try to compensate with "wine, women, and song," but biographies abound telling of people dying dissatisfied and broken--often in spite of great material wealth and social advantage. Many of them commit suicide because the futility of their lives creates a depth of depression that overwhelms all desire to continue.
Does Peggy Lee's song describe your present frame of mind? If so, I urge you to consider the following:
That "hole"--that emptiness in your life which seemingly cannot be satisfied--can be filled with a degree of contentment and joy you never thought possible. But to obtain it, you must come to the end of self and throw yourself upon the mercy of God. Because of a willful act of disobedience by the first man Adam, all of his offspring--all of humanity--lost our innocent status and turned from our Creator. He did not leave us! And as a result of that defection, we have no right to demand forgiveness, because He owes us nothing and is under no obligation to extend mercy. It is only when we approach Him with the right attitude of heart and humbly ask for His forgiveness and salvation, that we can expect to be heard.
But interestingly enough, the Bible says that, left to ourselves, we will not do it!
"There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God" Romans 3:11 (KJV, emphasis mine).
Additional insight into this fact of our fallen and depraved nature was given when the Lord Jesus Christ said:
"No one is able to come to Me unless the Father Who sent Me attracts and draws him and gives him the desire to come to Me; and [then] I will raise him [from the dead] at the last day" John 6:44 (Parallel Bible, KJV/Amplified Bible commentary).
Then later in the same discourse He added:
"....This is why I told you that no one can come to Me unless it is granted him--unless he is enabled to do so--by the Father" John 6:65 (Parallel Bible, KJV/Amplified Bible commentary).
The point we want to stress is that if you are dissatisfied and have a longing for "something" to make life meaningful, God is prompting it! If He allowed us to enjoy sin and remain alienated from Him without any sense of emptiness in our lives, we would never want to change. That innate sense of loss all humans experience is an expression of the compassion of a holy God.
So the choice should be clear. It is either (1) to continue chasing rainbows only to suffer the inevitable disappointment when they fade from view, or (2) attempt to change your life for the better.
We urge you to reject the philosophy of this world reflected in Peggy Lee's song and turn to the only One Who can make you whole. The "final disppointment" she dreaded need not be a reality where you are concerned, because God is willing to restore all who will come to Him by faith. Her plaintive "If that's all there is" shows a lack of understanding about eternity, because all humans are born to live forever! Yes, you heard me correctly. The Bible clearly teaches physical death does not involve cessation of existence. Each and every one of us has an eternal soul and our final destination is in the hands of God. So to seek an end to the futility and emptiness of this life, come to Him and have it replaced with a peace of heart and mind that is truly supernatural in origin.
The first step in that journey is to click on our Salvation Page link at the end of this article and read it carefully. In Bible terminology, you need to be "born again"--regenerated spiritually and put back into a proper relationship with God, thereby filling the vaccum in your heart created by His absence. As millions of Christians can attest, to continue with the attitude of "If that's all there is" will only result in more frustration and heartache. What do you have to lose?
If you have been born again and received Jesus Christ as your personal Savior, but have been very lukewarm in your spiritual walk with Him, you need to immediately ask Him for forgiveness and for renewal. He will instantly forgive you, and fill your heart with the joy of the Holy Spirit. Then, you need to begin a daily walk of prayer and personal Bible Study.
If you have never placed your trust in Jesus Christ as your Savior, but have come to sense His reality and the approaching End of the Age, and want to receive His FREE Gift of Eternal Life, you can do so now, in the privacy of your home. Once you truly believe in Him as Lord and Savior, you are spiritually Born Again, and are as assured of Heaven as if you were already there. Then, you can rest assured that the Kingdom of Antichrist will not touch you spiritually. If you would like to become Born Again, turn to our Salvation Page now.
We hope you have been blessed by this ministry, which seeks to educate and warn people, so that they can see the coming New World Order—Kingdom of Antichrist—in their daily news.
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Finally, we would love to hear from you. You can write us at:
Cutting Edge Ministries, C/O Pastor Ron Riffe
P.O. Box 26
Gordo, AL 35466
You can also E-Mail Pastor Ronald Riffe regarding questions or comments about this article.
God bless you.