Here's something interesting from Swedenborg's capstone work of theology from 1770, entitled "True Christian Religion":

"In actual fact there is a kind of field that constantly emanates from the Lord, which pulls all toward heaven. It fills the entire spiritual world and the entire physical world. It is like a strong current in the ocean that secretly carries ships along. All people who believe in the Lord and live by His commandments come into that field or current and are lifted up. Those who do not believe, though, are not willing to enter it." (True Christian Religion 652)

It refers, too, to this brief passage in the Bible, in the Gospel of John:

Jesus said, When I am raised up from the earth, I shall draw all to myself. (John 12:32).

And, (why not?)... compare it to what Yoda says about the force in "The Empire Strikes Back", from 1980:

"For my ally is the force, and a powerful ally it is. Life creates it, makes it grow. Its energy surrounds us and binds us. Luminous beings are we, not this crude matter." (Yoda)

There's a widespread human perception that there really are spiritual forces in play at a level that we can get glimpses of. The stark good vs. evil struggle in George Lucas's "Star Wars" resonated with a huge audience!

Shifting gears, again, having jumped from Swedenborg in 1770 to Yoda in 1980, let's jump again to 2017, and listen to one of the world's foremost brain researchers, Dr. Iain McGilchrist, in 2017. Here's a link to a deeply thoughtful video of a seminar at Heythrop College, University of London, in which Dr. McGilchrist suggests that there could be a force that pulls us towards some future. It's ALL interesting, and the section from about 45 minutes in, till the end, is where he focuses on purpose as it might exist in the universe.

Happy pondering!

652. The Lord imputes good to everyone and evil to none, and consequently His judgment sends no one to hell, but raises all to heaven in so far as a person follows. This is established by His own words:

Jesus said, When I am raised up from the earth, I shall draw all to myself, John 12:32.

God did not send His Son into the world to judge the world, but so that the world should be saved through Him. He who believes in Him is not judged, but he who does not believe is already judged, John 3:17-18.

If anyone has heard my words, yet has not believed, I do not judge him. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world. He who despises me and does not receive my words has that which judges him. The word which I have spoken will judge him on the last day, John 12:47-48.

Jesus said, I judge no one, John 8:15.

Judgment here and elsewhere in the Word means being sent by judgment to hell, which is damnation. In speaking of salvation the term judgment is not used, but resurrection to life (John 5:24, 29; 3:18).

[2] The word which will judge means truth; and it is a truth that all evil is from hell, and so evil and hell are one. When therefore the wicked person is raised by the Lord towards heaven, then his evil drags him down, and because he loves evil, he follows of his own accord. It is also a truth contained in the Word that good is heaven. When therefore the good person is raised by the Lord towards heaven, he climbs up as if of his own accord, and is brought inside. These are those who are said to be 'written in the Book of Life' (Daniel 12:1; Revelation 13:8; 20:12, 15; 17:8; 21:27).

[3] There is in fact a sphere continuously radiated by the Lord, which raises all to heaven; this fills the whole of both the spiritual and natural worlds. It is like a strong current in the ocean, which invisibly draws a ship along. All who believe in the Lord and live in accordance with His commandments come within that sphere or current, and are raised up. But those who do not believe are unwilling to come within it, but take themselves off to one side or the other, and are there swept away by the stream bound for hell.