Ecclesiastes_2

Scripture

Ecclesiastes 2:24-26²⁴ A person can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in their own toil. This too, I see, is from the hand of God, ²⁵ for without him, who can eat or find enjoyment? ²⁶ To the person who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness, but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand it over to the one who pleases God. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind. 

Observation

King Solomon seems to be documenting his struggle to find meaning in his life. He documents his pursuit of things other than God – projects, houses, properties (even beautiful ones), stuff (from slaves to animals to gold and silver), women, selfish/personal ambition, wisdom, etc.  Yet, he found the pursuit of pleasure to be lacking and “meaningless.” In part this is because it ultimately all ends in death – the great equator, making equal the wise and fool, the rich and the poor, the evil and the good.  [That is, if you believe that life ends when our time on this earth is up.]  He seemed to wrestle with the belief that death defeats all accomplishments and, if true, lends the time here on this earth nothing more than meaningless toil and trying to maintain some sort of positive air despite the despair.

Understanding

These verses struck me because it’s the complete opposite of anything that rings true in my heart.  Yet, it reminds me that there are people out in the world RIGHT NOW searching for meaning, trying everything they can think of to feel fulfillment, people that may be passing along the time in despair. The good news, though, is that WE have the answer to what they are searching for.  So, may we be about the mission…“…to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners,…to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve…”“…everlasting joy [can be] [theirs].”

• Isaiah 61:1-3, 7

Life Application

I’ve loved the focus on sharing the gospel these last few weeks.  May we embrace and implement what we are learning.  We don’t have to have it perfect; God is great at preparing hearts and taking over our tongue when we don’t know the words.  All we need is obedience and an open heart and eyes to look for, here and respond when God reveals opportunities or presses on our heart.  So, will you take action today?  May we Pray, Invest and Invite; may we be on mission to share God’s love in big and little, tangible and spiritual ways. God, thank you for calling me, finding me, pursuing me.  I know you have so many more than you want to encounter, so many more that you want to experience your incredible love.  Show me ways where, how, who you want me to do my part.  Impress upon my heart your heart for those I meet, see or spend time with today.  May I be humbly bold and obedient in my response.  ReiTo check out the discussion or to join in click here.