“He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart, yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.” Ecclesiastes 3:11 (NIV)
King Solomon authored Ecclesiastes about 3000 years ago. We often talk about how God knows the beginning and the end of all things. The Lord’s wisdom is unmatched.
At an early age, Solomon was once close in his relationship with God. He was overwhelmingly blessed with earthly treasures. Even today, he is considered to be one of the wealthiest people in all history. However, by the time this book was written, he was a world-weary king who had squandered his time in ungodly pursuits. He wasted the opportunity of pursuing the rewards of wisdom we can receive by living in the light of God’s direction. Towards the end of his life, he points us to a better, simpler life with the King of kings.
As believers, we all have experienced Jesus’s positive influence on our thoughts and deeds when we choose to listen to Him. We can overcome difficult challenges—spiritual, emotional, physical, and mental—if we stay close to Christ, who is always with us.
King Solomon offered so much great and relevant insight in the book of Ecclesiastes, but he was nowhere without the help of the Lord.
Ecclesiastes presents a crystal-clear roadmap of what has value and what does not. It is a very human book in which the reader watches a man wrestle with his foolishness and recognize God’s provision (2:24) and eternal wisdom (3:14). Solomon tells us we can trust God even when injustice and uncertainty threaten to overwhelm us. (12:13,14)
There are two major takeaways from this profound book.
- When we attempt to find meaning in the pursuit of pleasure, the commitment to a job, or through intellectual depths, we all eventually find in each of these pursuits a dead end.
2. We can only have a deep love relationship with Jesus when we lay down our ways and pursue His ways. This act of humility is an essential element in our faith walk.
Prayer:
Lord, when we read King Solomon’s words, we see ourselves. We are so thankful that our closeness to You keeps us pursuing a life that has value. You ask us to be good servants as a sign of our love for You. Jesus, please continue to show us opportunities where we can do good for others. Help us to be sensitive to others’ needs. We love you, Jesus. You have given us a new life. We are born again. Thank you, Lord! Amen.