Life: Is this it?

No strand is more core to the human experience than the desire to live a life that has meaning and significance. History has seen countless attempts at satisfying this craving through various social systems, religious structures and world views. In our present day, the general cultural sentiment seems to reside in the perspective that our lives are only given the meaning that we, ourselves, choose and pursue. How did Jesus address this all-too-human issue and what might be his invitation to us?