Read Ecclesiastes 6:1-9
That old wind Solomon is chasing or dreaming of chasing! The last line is great! “Enjoy what you have rather than desiring what you don’t have. Just dreaming about nice things is meaningless—like chasing the wind.”
Before he gets to that realization, Solomon took a bit of a turn down a dark road in this reading. I’m sure you also noticed the enormous amount of (one hundred) children referred to in his lament. With hundreds of wives, he likely had many offspring, so 100 would not have sounded too lavish to be believable!
But Solomon is right, there are many people who walk around life as if they’re going through the motions. The enjoyment seems to have been zapped out of life, at least to the degree you’d like, and you quickly spiral to a dark place. Those people don’t know there’s a way out. That way is Jesus.
I was reminded last night about that in a fresh, but familiar way. It certainly was a blast to the past for us in the movie, “Jesus Revolution.” It has been in theaters, but we were lucky enough to see it on Netflix. Anyway, it’s a good film to watch, especially if you’re of my vintage or want to know about some “background history” of some faithful people. (Fun fact: the band in the movie, Love Song, is a band David is very familiar with, and I loved hearing him singing along to some of the songs I was hearing for the first time!)
Here’s the truth we can rely on. Jesus is the truth, the way, and the life. He said it himself. We can put trust in that. Not only is Jesus the way out of a troubled situation, but he’s our way to heaven. He’s our way of life. That’s the life he’s given us to enjoy.
When our love for the Lord and desire to serve him collide with our own hopes and dreams, it’s exquisite. I got glimpses of that exquisiteness when I was leading children’s ministry programs at several churches. I love teaching kids about the Lord, and he gifted me to do just that. That’s an example of exquisite and exhilarating. God has me on that same mission again in Mexico. Now I’m using my second language to communicate!
Like Solomon, I have been doubting my own abilities, because of the language barrier. Do you ever do that, doubt your own capability to do something? Many people fail to believe they can make a difference. They may be right if speaking of the “world,” but in terms of the “kingdom,” that’s where it really matters. Right?
Whatever we are doubting, we need to remember what the apostle Paul told us about his vision in 2 Corinthians 12:9 which reads, “Each time he said, ‘My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.’ So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.” This was the response when Paul questioned his battle with Satan. We are all in battle with the evil one, aren’t we? I can’t think of one person who isn’t being lured by evil disguised as good. Can you?
We want everyone to enjoy life like we do when we’re in Christ. That doesn’t make us immune to Satan’s grip. This verse in 2 Corinthians gives us a beautiful response.
What is your weakness? God can really work in our weaknesses. What is holding you back from living and enjoying the life God gives you each day?
Let’s pray. Father God, I love having you in my life. I love that I can call on you anytime for any reason. Certainly, I always pray your will be done, not mine. I also want to thank you for each breath you give me to live on this planet. I want to make the most of every moment I get to spend serving the kingdom. I look forward to a fresh start each day to shine for you. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
