Tommy Mann

One of the most powerful and feared Muslim rulers of the Roman era was Abdalrahman. According to the classic book The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, there is a monument in his honor that bears this inscription from his own mouth: “I have diligently numbered the days of pure and genuine happiness which have fallen to my lot: they amount to fourteen. O man! Place not thy confidence in this present world!” It is hard to imagine that such a wealthy and powerful ruler would say at the end of his life that he only had fourteen total days of happiness. From the outside looking in one might think the life of the rich and famous is all happy all the time, but this shocking confession blows that thought out of the water.  All people have a desire for happiness, and we certainly want more than fourteen days of it over the course of our lifetime. When we are experiencing moments of happiness we hope that it will last forever, but inevitably it ends. A child spending a day at Disney Worl...

Question: What is the chief end of man? Answer: The chief end of man is to glorify God, and to enjoy Him forever.  The Declaration of Independence states that we have been endowed by our Creator with certain unalienable rights, which include life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. This has led many Americans to, without realizing it, believe their chief end is to pursue happiness. This is true, but only in the sense that we realize true happiness comes from understanding who we are in Christ. As Asaph wrote in Psalm 73:25, “Whom have I in heaven but You? And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You.” The Westminster Shorter Catechism begins by saying the chief end of man is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever. That might sound confusing, but if we understand that concept then we will understand how to truly live. The chief end of man—or the reason we exist—is to glorify God. Revelation 4:11 says all things were created for God’s pleasure, and...