PLEASE READ THIS FIRST: Ecclesiastes 1-2
What do you sense the Lord saying to you in this passage?
“For without God, who can eat or find enjoyment?” (Ecclesiastes 2:25)
Many people eat and find enjoyment without God, or so it seems.
Many people find fulfillment in wealth, success, their work, or do they?
To some degree, it seems yes, but inevitably some kind of misery arises.
Not to be depressing, but without God how is it ultimately meaningful?
Is there a purpose to life, is there a reason I am here?
This is what this Teacher is struggling with, and it is heavy for him.
We live, we die, that is really all there is… without God.
Some may live better, others not so good, but we all die in the end.
The purpose of these reflections is to show us what really matters, and what doesn’t.
Do you think about these kinds of questions, or do you just live each day for itself.
I don’t mean worrying about them, but wondering about them, and being wise.
Wisdom is not just knowledge, it is figuring out the purpose and reason behind things.
With God, life has purpose, meaning and a goal – and wisdom seeks to find them out.
The choices I make each day reflect what matter most to me… does God matter to me?
PRAYER
Lord, open my eyes to see that God matters, and give me the wisdom and willpower to live a life that matters with God, like God and for God!
“So I hated life, because the work that is done under the sun was grievous to me…. 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?”. The cycles that Solomon talks about – can become meaningless – all that I build on earth can be meaningless. Finding contentment is one thing – but having purpose is the key to me. What can I do that changes things for the future? If I am used to help someone find Jesus – that cycle will continue to grow to more finding Jesus. So what can I invest in with my time that is going to making a difference for the future. Joy/contentment and purpose is a gift from God. God’s gift of the HS gives me a sense of purpose – meaningful engagement. As our World Belongs to God stanza 13: “…The faithfulness of our great Provider gives sense to our days and hope to our years. The future is secure, for our world belongs to God.”