Sunday, July 24, 2011

It's All About God

I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure. My heart took delight in all my work, and this was the reward for all my labor. Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun. (Eccl 2:10-11)

In this passage Solomon recounts all his pleasures, possessions and accomplishments. If anybody ever had it made by the world’s standards it was Solomon. He was brilliant; he was king; he was wealthy beyond anyone’s wildest imagination. If any of us ever wondered whether a little more money, power or fame would make us happy – well, Solomon got there ahead of us and he has come back to report that the answer is “No!” If you ever thought you would be happier if you were smarter or better educated, the answer is also “No!” As Solomon tells the story of his life in the first two chapters of Ecclesiastes I am struck by how often he says “meaningless” and how seldom he mentions God. Despite his great wisdom, Solomon still had to learn the most important lesson of life the hard way: without God, nothing else matters. He tried everything, and by process of elimination he finally realized that it's all about God. Lord, remind me of that when I get caught up in life’s trials and temptations. You have given me a purpose – to love you and serve you, to share the gospel and advance your Kingdom here on earth. I don’t want to look back on my life and find that it was meaningless. Use me to your glory. Amen.

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