Interesting points raised by all. I don't look to religion for answers to these types of questions; it seems odd that an almighty being would create living organism for the sole purpose of venerating Him (or Her). Besides, who created that almighty being in the first place.
Anyhow; I also don't want to confuse purpose with meaning. The meaning of life is different for each person whilst our purpose is more mechanistic. If we are part of a system in which energy is conserved, we could have just as easily exist in any other form, maybe dispersed atoms floating about, and still serve the same purpose and fulfill the first law of thermo.