Read Ecclesiastes 1:1-11
Reading through the book of Ecclesiastes should be interesting because it has traditionally been a bit controversial. The book is believed to be written by King Solomon, late in his life, after living much of his life apart from God. His reflections look back on his life, and we’ll no doubt see a lot of parallels to our world today. You’ll soon discover Solomon’s frustrations with life.
As we let the Holy Spirit guide us through this book, we’ll see how important it is to fear God and obey his commands. We’ll encounter contradiction, pessimism, and opinions of the wise king. You may recall Solomon asked God for wisdom when he first became king. God granted his request, and Solomon became the wisest in the land. It’s my prayer that Solomon’s wisdom will draw us closer to God.
In our first reading, you see Solomon refers to himself as “the Teacher.” He speaks of his observations of the world and how it all seems meaningless. Nothing changes. History repeats itself. We’ve often probably said the same thing.
When we read through the Old Testament, we see how easily people get caught in the snare of sin, separating them from God. The same thing does happen today. We rebel against God, and our sinfulness drives a wedge between us and God. I do agree with the author here–history does tend to repeat itself!
As for “what is the meaning of life?”– that question has a different answer for everyone. God has a different purpose for each one of his children. The life purpose we all share is to love, honor, and respect our Creator. Beyond that, how we live our lives is up to us. God hopes that we’ll stay close and follow his will for our lives.
When we stray from God’s protective arm, we drift, like the author, in a sea of nothingness. We are never content. We seek happiness in all the wrong places. Our need for the latest new gadget is often misread as the answer to our sadness or emptiness. What we find, is that no new expensive toy or trip or delicious meal will ever fill that empty space inside us that only God can fill.
Our author lived a very rich life, surrounded by success, hundreds of wives, and great wealth. How could he still see no meaning in life? That should speak volumes to us who don’t have great wealth. It’s not about the money! If you’ve ever spent any time in a developing nation, you’d see that some of the happiest people on the planet are poor!
What is your take-away from this passage? If you are feeling a little like the author, remember Jesus’ words in John 8:12. “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.” Building a relationship with Jesus and following him gives us the meaning in life that we seek.
Let’s pray. Father God, I want to always be growing closer to you and behave in ways that please and honor you. Forgive me when I question what my purpose is. Forgive me also when I judge others who have more and yet don’t know you are the answer they are looking for. Open up opportunities for me to share with them about your love. Thank you for providing for me and rescuing me when I am weak. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
