The heading of this chapter is “Keep the King’s Command.” I have to step back for a minute and remember that our preacher was the king. He was the highest ranking man. Anything he wanted was given to him. Anything except contentment. Over and over again, he is crying out that life is empty. He is longing for something higher and better than himself. This is the time before the reconciliation though. This is the time before our Savior. All the preacher knows is that without God, life is not a good thing.
“For the word of the King is supreme.” (v. 4) When there is no other appeal, the King is supreme. Of course, he goes on to say that no man has power over the day of death. We see situations where it appears that one person is in total control. There are situations where it seems there is no hope because circumstances are such that there is no escape. The Father allows the wicked to go unpunished for a very long time. The preacher saw this and despaired. Evil men did evil deeds and lived long lives. There is always justice though. This justice may come on earth or it may come after death. The justice is terrifying for those who do not fear the Lord.
Then we come to one of the great questions of Christianity. Bad things happen to good people and good things happen to bad people. (v 14) How are we to reconcile this? How can a loving god allow such pain and sorrow into the world? There is no easy answer to this. There is really only faith. We have to believe that our Father loves us so much that He sent His son to die and be born again so that you and I can have a relationship with the most Holy God. The evils of this world are allowed for a little while. God will use these things to bring His beloved children into closer relationship with Him.
I recently fought a battle and lost. I had thought that because I was right and God was telling me to engage in the battle that I would win. If I have won, it is not in terms that the world can see. I have grown closer to my Father. I have learned more and more to rely on Him and to trust in His ways. I would like to say this trust extends to the point where I know that He will grant me wealth and privilege. I have a nagging feeling though. A nagging feeling that says, remember the martyrs. I did not rescue them in the way the world would understand. Many, many of them I allowed to come home to me. Coming home was their victory. I remember this and pray two things. The first thing I pray is “Dear Lord, no, I am not strong enough for that.” The second thing I pray is “As you will my loving Father. I know that you will provide the strength when I can go no longer.” I prayed a year ago that my faith would be increased. I find myself now relying on God more than I had ever dreamed possible. How much more will He grow me? How much more will He grow you?
Monday, January 30, 2012
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Chapter 7 Intervention
All these things that the preacher has tried are weighing heavy. All the fun is fading to that ugly place where dissatisfaction rises to the back of his mouth with a bitter burn. Now, all that is left is to try wisdom. This chapter reminds me of a man I know. He goes to church most Sundays. He is known throughout the community as “a good man”. He goes to hear the bands on Saturday night and straight to church Sunday morning. He is living as a person “should”. He is missing something though. There is no passion in his life. He goes through routine. He is the man Thoreau described as living a life of quiet desperation.
We want to know wisdom but we don’t realize that the word became flesh. Wisdom is found in the person of Jesus. If we take verse 19 “Wisdom gives strength to the wise man more than ten rulers who are in a city” and replace the word “wisdom” with “Jesus”, we get “Jesus gives strength to the wise man.” The same theme seems to creep up frequently. The only key to satisfaction in this life is a personal relationship with Jesus.
Watching tv is a great way to learn about the desperation that has gripped our society. The show “Intervention” documents addicts and their families. Most of the addicts have been discontent at one time. The discontent has led them to seek an answer. The enemy has supplied an answer for them-pills, heroin, and alcohol. The answer is destroying them. Family relationships show a pattern of trying to escape. Many of them are the children of reformed, or practicing, addicts. Where is the good part? The good part is that every show I’ve seen has ended with the addict accepting intervention and treatment. We as people want to be restored to a right relationship. Unfortunately, these people aren’t finding Jesus. They are finding other solutions and many relapse to an “easier” solution. Imagine if instead of just rehab, they found Jesus. Through His strength they would be able to hold on to their wisdom longer.
We want to know wisdom but we don’t realize that the word became flesh. Wisdom is found in the person of Jesus. If we take verse 19 “Wisdom gives strength to the wise man more than ten rulers who are in a city” and replace the word “wisdom” with “Jesus”, we get “Jesus gives strength to the wise man.” The same theme seems to creep up frequently. The only key to satisfaction in this life is a personal relationship with Jesus.
Watching tv is a great way to learn about the desperation that has gripped our society. The show “Intervention” documents addicts and their families. Most of the addicts have been discontent at one time. The discontent has led them to seek an answer. The enemy has supplied an answer for them-pills, heroin, and alcohol. The answer is destroying them. Family relationships show a pattern of trying to escape. Many of them are the children of reformed, or practicing, addicts. Where is the good part? The good part is that every show I’ve seen has ended with the addict accepting intervention and treatment. We as people want to be restored to a right relationship. Unfortunately, these people aren’t finding Jesus. They are finding other solutions and many relapse to an “easier” solution. Imagine if instead of just rehab, they found Jesus. Through His strength they would be able to hold on to their wisdom longer.
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Chapter 6 Another Little Bite
Chapter 6 continues this theme. It doesn’t matter if a man “fathers a hundred children”, if he does not find satisfaction in his life, it is better that he die at birth. Wow, this is depressing stuff. The preacher says our words are worthless. He says living a thousand years is worthless. I think of the vampire novels I used to enjoy. The vampires had all the power and eternal youth yet they were not satisfied. They had no joy. Their longing was always for the sun. What a wonderful explanation of our spot in life. We can have everything but without the Son it is all meaningless.
We are longing for something greater than ourselves. We want to be part of something that will last forever. The funny thing is that the “something” is right here waiting on us to recognize Him. By accepting Jesus, we are accepting immortality. We are accepting eternal power. We become something so much greater than ourselves could ever be. This is the message of hope, the love story hidden in the book. All around us we see death and meaninglessness but in our Savior’s eyes we see love and life everlasting.
We are longing for something greater than ourselves. We want to be part of something that will last forever. The funny thing is that the “something” is right here waiting on us to recognize Him. By accepting Jesus, we are accepting immortality. We are accepting eternal power. We become something so much greater than ourselves could ever be. This is the message of hope, the love story hidden in the book. All around us we see death and meaninglessness but in our Savior’s eyes we see love and life everlasting.
Monday, January 23, 2012
Chapter 5 Very Short Entry
It is strange to see a warning about going to church in the Bible. Chapter 5 begins with a command to “Guard your steps when you go into the house of God.” (1) This warning is against getting caught up in the emotion of a moment and offering a vow to God that you have no intention to keep. It is so easy to become enthralled in a moment. The raw emotions of the people around you reach out and draw you in. This warning is to remember that God is not someone to bargain with lightly. If you make a deal with God, He expects you to keep it.
Then, the preacher moves on to talk about wealth and honor. Neither of these often sought after things provide satisfaction. The only satisfaction is found in doing the job we are given to do in the best way we can. “Behold, what I have seen to be good and fitting is to eat and drink and find enjoyment in all the toil with which one toils under the sun the few days of his life that God has given him, for this is his lot.”(18) The more we want, the more we strive for money, wealth, and power, the farther we get from satisfaction. Joy and peace are found in doing the work that God has given each of us to do. Our true hope is in the Lord and in reconciliation with Him.
Then, the preacher moves on to talk about wealth and honor. Neither of these often sought after things provide satisfaction. The only satisfaction is found in doing the job we are given to do in the best way we can. “Behold, what I have seen to be good and fitting is to eat and drink and find enjoyment in all the toil with which one toils under the sun the few days of his life that God has given him, for this is his lot.”(18) The more we want, the more we strive for money, wealth, and power, the farther we get from satisfaction. Joy and peace are found in doing the work that God has given each of us to do. Our true hope is in the Lord and in reconciliation with Him.
Friday, January 20, 2012
Chapter 4 Satisfaction
It is hard to get around the fact that this book is depressing. Each time a glimmer of hope is found, the preacher goes back to stating what is wrong with the world. Chapter 4 starts with the statement that it is better to have not been born than to see the evil under the sun.
There are days I can fully agree with him. Those are the days filled with news stories of horrible offences against children. Days when I look at the work I’ve done and see it as worthless in the stream of time. Days when no justice is apparent to those who seem to deserve it. But what do I know? I am not God. I do not know, and cannot know, how each of these pieces is fitting into a greater plan. This pain I’m enduring is part of something much bigger than me. Maybe it’s only purpose is to help me see God more clearly. Maybe the purpose is to open a door for someone else who will do a mighty work for the kingdom that I will never know. Maybe it is the naturally occurring consequence of an act of disobedience. I may not know why I’m hurting. It is crucial though that I know who I serve. I serve the Lord, most high. The God of Angel Armies who loves me so completely that He allowed the unimaginable suffering of His perfect son to atone for my sins. How do I complain in light of that?
In verse 9, the preacher says that “Two are better than one”. This is a happy nugget. We are meant to work in relationship with others. Earlier God has said that it was not good for man to be alone, so He made him a helper. People are not meant to function outside of a relationship with others. We need to be able to reach out and feel a human embrace. We need to feel the safety of having someone walking with us on the road of life.
I worked in long term care when I was in college. One of the biggest challenges the residents had was combatting loneliness. The idea of dying without someone there beside them would compel them to put off death as long as they could. I spent many days and nights sitting by bedsides and holding hands while people died. There is a great fear that a person will be forgotten after death. People do not want to be forgotten. If you think that the sum of your value is found on earth, then leaving earth would fill you with dread. If you know that the sum of your value is found in communion with Jesus, then leaving this earth fills you with excitement because you know how close you are to seeing Him. The book says even those who led many, many people will be forgotten (v 16). The only guard against that is to have relationships that will live after you and to know that the Lord is waiting to receive you. He will take you in His arms and welcome you home.
In researching this topic, I came across a statement by J. Vernon McGee that Ecclesiastes is about satisfaction. That puzzled me for a long time. The realization dawned slowly. The preacher is searching for meaning, for something that will bring satisfaction to life. There is only one way to satisfaction. We cannot find satisfaction in the future because there is no guarantee of the future. We cannot find satisfaction in having many people to remember us because everyone will die and we will be forgotten. The only place we can find deep satisfaction is in the Lord.
I recently left a job I held for 10 years. I worked with many wonderful people in my time there. The opportunity to leave the job provided me with many things. 1. I was able to grow in my trust of the Lord. 2. I was able to see that my influence would go on through the dedication of those who knew the Father. I am not the main idea. I am only a means to convey a message. The message is the important part. My satisfaction is not in a job title but in the assurance that when I leave this earth, my Father will be waiting to hold me in His arms. That is the good stuff.
There are days I can fully agree with him. Those are the days filled with news stories of horrible offences against children. Days when I look at the work I’ve done and see it as worthless in the stream of time. Days when no justice is apparent to those who seem to deserve it. But what do I know? I am not God. I do not know, and cannot know, how each of these pieces is fitting into a greater plan. This pain I’m enduring is part of something much bigger than me. Maybe it’s only purpose is to help me see God more clearly. Maybe the purpose is to open a door for someone else who will do a mighty work for the kingdom that I will never know. Maybe it is the naturally occurring consequence of an act of disobedience. I may not know why I’m hurting. It is crucial though that I know who I serve. I serve the Lord, most high. The God of Angel Armies who loves me so completely that He allowed the unimaginable suffering of His perfect son to atone for my sins. How do I complain in light of that?
In verse 9, the preacher says that “Two are better than one”. This is a happy nugget. We are meant to work in relationship with others. Earlier God has said that it was not good for man to be alone, so He made him a helper. People are not meant to function outside of a relationship with others. We need to be able to reach out and feel a human embrace. We need to feel the safety of having someone walking with us on the road of life.
I worked in long term care when I was in college. One of the biggest challenges the residents had was combatting loneliness. The idea of dying without someone there beside them would compel them to put off death as long as they could. I spent many days and nights sitting by bedsides and holding hands while people died. There is a great fear that a person will be forgotten after death. People do not want to be forgotten. If you think that the sum of your value is found on earth, then leaving earth would fill you with dread. If you know that the sum of your value is found in communion with Jesus, then leaving this earth fills you with excitement because you know how close you are to seeing Him. The book says even those who led many, many people will be forgotten (v 16). The only guard against that is to have relationships that will live after you and to know that the Lord is waiting to receive you. He will take you in His arms and welcome you home.
In researching this topic, I came across a statement by J. Vernon McGee that Ecclesiastes is about satisfaction. That puzzled me for a long time. The realization dawned slowly. The preacher is searching for meaning, for something that will bring satisfaction to life. There is only one way to satisfaction. We cannot find satisfaction in the future because there is no guarantee of the future. We cannot find satisfaction in having many people to remember us because everyone will die and we will be forgotten. The only place we can find deep satisfaction is in the Lord.
I recently left a job I held for 10 years. I worked with many wonderful people in my time there. The opportunity to leave the job provided me with many things. 1. I was able to grow in my trust of the Lord. 2. I was able to see that my influence would go on through the dedication of those who knew the Father. I am not the main idea. I am only a means to convey a message. The message is the important part. My satisfaction is not in a job title but in the assurance that when I leave this earth, my Father will be waiting to hold me in His arms. That is the good stuff.
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Chapter 3 A time for everything
Chapter 3 contains one of the best known passages in the Bible. “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven.” These matters are then delineated in the following verses.
The Tarot deck has a card “The Wheel of Fortune”. When this card is drawn, it says that there is a big change coming for the person whose fortune is being read. We know that things will change but there are times we forget that things will change. Even those who consult fortune tellers are looking for a hope that the wheel of fortune will turn for them. The Bible assures us that fortune will change. There is a time to be born, and a time to die. There is a time for all the activities of our lives. Some days we will feel that we are at the pinnacle of our abilities, beauty, and/or intelligence. We have to know though that tomorrow will come. There will be days when we feel that we are at the end of our abilities, beauty, and/or intelligence. For some of us, we get lost in those bad days. We think that they are totality of our existence. We have to remember that there is a time to weep and a time to laugh. It is also important to remember that these times have already been appointed by God.
How wonderful it is for us to know that even when we are at the bottom of the wheel of fortune (on some decks the wheel is shown rolling over a skeleton with outstretched arms), that we are loved. We know that this pain is temporary. We know that when the season of hurt has ended, a new season will come. The best part though isn’t only that the pain is temporary. The best part knows that somehow even in pain we cannot bear the Father who loves us is with us.
After the amazing poem about time, the preacher asks the question, “what gain has the worker from his toil?” There is so much in the passage following. Twice in the remaining verses of the chapter, we are told that a person should rejoice in his work because it is God’s gift to him. The preacher seems to be saying that work is enough. We were made to do things and we should do them joyfully.
The juxtaposition of good and bad is seen again in the remainder of the chapter. We come from dust and go back to dust. The animals die and people die. What God has done will endure forever. One of the greatest verses is tucked away here. It says “That which is, already has been; that which is to be, already has been; and God seeks what has been driven away.” V 15
That last piece of the sentence is our joy. When I was in high school, I started moving away from God. It wasn’t anyone’s fault. I was angry at things that had happened and used that as an excuse to walk away from God. I didn’t just walk. I stomped away like an angry 2 year old. All I could see in the church was lies. (Of course it wasn’t really lies from church people, it was lies from the enemy.) It seemed so empty and fake. I was driven away-far far away. But then, God sought me. I would hear His voice through the dirtiness that was my life. I remember driving through the snow in Boise, Id with my baby in the back seat. There was a church on the street. Every time I drove by and saw the warm light streaming through the stained glass, I could hear the Father calling me home. I never went into that church but when I think of church that is the building I see. I can feel the warmth of the Father streaming out to a wayward child, arms outstretched to receive me.
God is looking for those of us who have been driven away. Even though He knows the depth of our flaws, He wants us. He delights in us. He delights in each of our little differences. I can see Him smiling with pleasure when my seven year old gets that glint in her eye and raises her left eyebrow just a tiny bit. I can feel the warmth of his love when I take a bite of something delightful and say that heartfelt praise. Our God wants us to be in communion with Him. He has given His only son so that we can be with Him. What more proof do we need that he is seeking us?
The Tarot deck has a card “The Wheel of Fortune”. When this card is drawn, it says that there is a big change coming for the person whose fortune is being read. We know that things will change but there are times we forget that things will change. Even those who consult fortune tellers are looking for a hope that the wheel of fortune will turn for them. The Bible assures us that fortune will change. There is a time to be born, and a time to die. There is a time for all the activities of our lives. Some days we will feel that we are at the pinnacle of our abilities, beauty, and/or intelligence. We have to know though that tomorrow will come. There will be days when we feel that we are at the end of our abilities, beauty, and/or intelligence. For some of us, we get lost in those bad days. We think that they are totality of our existence. We have to remember that there is a time to weep and a time to laugh. It is also important to remember that these times have already been appointed by God.
How wonderful it is for us to know that even when we are at the bottom of the wheel of fortune (on some decks the wheel is shown rolling over a skeleton with outstretched arms), that we are loved. We know that this pain is temporary. We know that when the season of hurt has ended, a new season will come. The best part though isn’t only that the pain is temporary. The best part knows that somehow even in pain we cannot bear the Father who loves us is with us.
After the amazing poem about time, the preacher asks the question, “what gain has the worker from his toil?” There is so much in the passage following. Twice in the remaining verses of the chapter, we are told that a person should rejoice in his work because it is God’s gift to him. The preacher seems to be saying that work is enough. We were made to do things and we should do them joyfully.
The juxtaposition of good and bad is seen again in the remainder of the chapter. We come from dust and go back to dust. The animals die and people die. What God has done will endure forever. One of the greatest verses is tucked away here. It says “That which is, already has been; that which is to be, already has been; and God seeks what has been driven away.” V 15
That last piece of the sentence is our joy. When I was in high school, I started moving away from God. It wasn’t anyone’s fault. I was angry at things that had happened and used that as an excuse to walk away from God. I didn’t just walk. I stomped away like an angry 2 year old. All I could see in the church was lies. (Of course it wasn’t really lies from church people, it was lies from the enemy.) It seemed so empty and fake. I was driven away-far far away. But then, God sought me. I would hear His voice through the dirtiness that was my life. I remember driving through the snow in Boise, Id with my baby in the back seat. There was a church on the street. Every time I drove by and saw the warm light streaming through the stained glass, I could hear the Father calling me home. I never went into that church but when I think of church that is the building I see. I can feel the warmth of the Father streaming out to a wayward child, arms outstretched to receive me.
God is looking for those of us who have been driven away. Even though He knows the depth of our flaws, He wants us. He delights in us. He delights in each of our little differences. I can see Him smiling with pleasure when my seven year old gets that glint in her eye and raises her left eyebrow just a tiny bit. I can feel the warmth of his love when I take a bite of something delightful and say that heartfelt praise. Our God wants us to be in communion with Him. He has given His only son so that we can be with Him. What more proof do we need that he is seeking us?
Friday, January 13, 2012
Chapter 2
So, after the preacher points out that everything is pointless, he tells us what he did to try to make things make sense.
The first thing he did was self-indulgence. He gathered all the good and beautiful things he could find. Art, wine, dancers, gardens, great food, he had everything. Anything he saw that he wanted, he grabbed. There was no restraint. In terms I can relate to it was like having every pair of shoes you ever took a moment’s notice of, every pretty color of eye shadow, every yummy bite, every beautiful piece of scrapbook paper, everything you wanted right down to and including the shiny orange Harley. Then, he looked at everything he had and all the work he had done to get it. It was nothing in the end. Like the quiet that falls after all the gifts are opened at Christmas. There is no reason it’s sad but it is so sad. All the wonders and magic of the day is gone and all the credit card bills are coming and its nothing. It is just stuff. He says “and behold, all was vanity and a striving after wind, and there was nothing to be gained under the sun.” (Ecc 2:11)
I think of that part of the book like college years. You party and party and then one day, you decide to try something else. The preacher decided to try living wisely. He decides that it is a good idea to live wisely. “Then I saw that there is more gain in wisdom than in folly, as there is more gain in light than in darkness.”(2: 13) I’m thinking great. All we have to do to be happy is to live wisely. Things are starting to look better. But then he says “And yet I perceived that the same event happens to them all” (14) What? Live wisely and things are still going to go bad? Well, yes. We all go through the same stuff. We are all born. We are all teenagers. We all die. We are all forgotten in time. This is life. It is “pointless” to think that just because you are wise, you can change anything.
Then when he decided that being wise wouldn’t help all that much, he decides to think about work. He figures out that when he dies, everything he did will go to someone else. Everything is looking pretty bleak at this point. But then God steps in and we know that once God steps in things get so much better.
“There is nothing better for a person than that he should eat and drink and find enjoyment in his toil. This also, I saw is from the hand of God, for apart from him who can eat or who can have enjoyment?” (2:24-25) The preacher, guided by the Holy spirit, says that only in God can we eat and have enjoyment. This is the beginning of the love story. This is where the handsome man smiles at the beautiful woman. God provides us our food and drink and work. In Him we find enjoyment in all that we do. All the vanity of our lives is wiped out in the relationship with our Lord. When we see the love He holds for us, we realize that even if everything else is pointless, He is THE POINT.
Our God created us and loves us. He knows what we need to find enjoyment in life. He knows we need good things to eat and a job to do. Jesus says “If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!” (Matthew 7:11) This does not mean that things will be easy. Things will not be easy. Bad things will happen. We just have to know that even while the bad things are happening, God will provide us with a joy beyond understanding. That He is there and waiting for us to call on Him for the help that only he can give.
Solomon didn’t have Jesus. He was before the reconciliation. Yet, he knew that God was the only reason for life. There have been many periods in my life where I’ve fought depression; many times when it seemed that everything really was pointless. In these times, I’ve lost sight of this one key, even though everything else is pointless, God is the point. Our relationship with Him will bring us out of the darkness of depression and into His beautiful light. God knows that we can get depressed. That’s why he had the preacher write this book. Life is hard. Life hurts. It is only through His grace and love that we can enjoy this world.
If you don’t know Jesus, you don’t know how it is that even in the darkest moments there is light. You don’t know what it means to be truly free. If you don’t know Jesus, you probably think one of two things-either I’m crazy or you need what I have. I know the answer. I am crazy but because of Jesus, I’m free. You can be free too.
The first thing he did was self-indulgence. He gathered all the good and beautiful things he could find. Art, wine, dancers, gardens, great food, he had everything. Anything he saw that he wanted, he grabbed. There was no restraint. In terms I can relate to it was like having every pair of shoes you ever took a moment’s notice of, every pretty color of eye shadow, every yummy bite, every beautiful piece of scrapbook paper, everything you wanted right down to and including the shiny orange Harley. Then, he looked at everything he had and all the work he had done to get it. It was nothing in the end. Like the quiet that falls after all the gifts are opened at Christmas. There is no reason it’s sad but it is so sad. All the wonders and magic of the day is gone and all the credit card bills are coming and its nothing. It is just stuff. He says “and behold, all was vanity and a striving after wind, and there was nothing to be gained under the sun.” (Ecc 2:11)
I think of that part of the book like college years. You party and party and then one day, you decide to try something else. The preacher decided to try living wisely. He decides that it is a good idea to live wisely. “Then I saw that there is more gain in wisdom than in folly, as there is more gain in light than in darkness.”(2: 13) I’m thinking great. All we have to do to be happy is to live wisely. Things are starting to look better. But then he says “And yet I perceived that the same event happens to them all” (14) What? Live wisely and things are still going to go bad? Well, yes. We all go through the same stuff. We are all born. We are all teenagers. We all die. We are all forgotten in time. This is life. It is “pointless” to think that just because you are wise, you can change anything.
Then when he decided that being wise wouldn’t help all that much, he decides to think about work. He figures out that when he dies, everything he did will go to someone else. Everything is looking pretty bleak at this point. But then God steps in and we know that once God steps in things get so much better.
“There is nothing better for a person than that he should eat and drink and find enjoyment in his toil. This also, I saw is from the hand of God, for apart from him who can eat or who can have enjoyment?” (2:24-25) The preacher, guided by the Holy spirit, says that only in God can we eat and have enjoyment. This is the beginning of the love story. This is where the handsome man smiles at the beautiful woman. God provides us our food and drink and work. In Him we find enjoyment in all that we do. All the vanity of our lives is wiped out in the relationship with our Lord. When we see the love He holds for us, we realize that even if everything else is pointless, He is THE POINT.
Our God created us and loves us. He knows what we need to find enjoyment in life. He knows we need good things to eat and a job to do. Jesus says “If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!” (Matthew 7:11) This does not mean that things will be easy. Things will not be easy. Bad things will happen. We just have to know that even while the bad things are happening, God will provide us with a joy beyond understanding. That He is there and waiting for us to call on Him for the help that only he can give.
Solomon didn’t have Jesus. He was before the reconciliation. Yet, he knew that God was the only reason for life. There have been many periods in my life where I’ve fought depression; many times when it seemed that everything really was pointless. In these times, I’ve lost sight of this one key, even though everything else is pointless, God is the point. Our relationship with Him will bring us out of the darkness of depression and into His beautiful light. God knows that we can get depressed. That’s why he had the preacher write this book. Life is hard. Life hurts. It is only through His grace and love that we can enjoy this world.
If you don’t know Jesus, you don’t know how it is that even in the darkest moments there is light. You don’t know what it means to be truly free. If you don’t know Jesus, you probably think one of two things-either I’m crazy or you need what I have. I know the answer. I am crazy but because of Jesus, I’m free. You can be free too.
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Chapter 1 Vanity of Vanities
The book opens with “Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher, vanity of vanities! All is vanity.” 1:2.
That is a pretty sad start to any book. In my mind, I see the preacher. He is sitting hunched over his desk in his deep purple robe. He has fought how to write this. He doesn’t really want to write it. He is compelled though, compelled to tell what he has learned in his years of life. He is compelled by God’s own spirit to write this sad, sad love story and so he starts by telling us it’s all “vanity”.
So what is “vanity”? Dictionary.com defines vanity as many things. The most apt definition in this case is “something worthless, trivial, or pointless”. When I was an English teacher, I played a game where I would use the definition in place of the word. “Trivialness of trivialness, says the preacher, worthless of worthlessness. All is pointless.” Wow, that kind of brings me down. The book doesn’t get a whole lot better after that.
“All things are full of weariness; a man cannot utter it; the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear with hearing,” (Ecc 1:) We talk about stress and depression like they are new. The preacher says there is nothing new under the sun. As people we have this need for more. We need more speed. We need more stuff. The problem is that everything we need more of is vanity. Even though I really like the motorcycle and my smart phone, there is no real value in them. They are pointless. The more we seek to gain wisdom, the more we see that there really isn’t much of value in this world.
The preacher saw it. He said he searched out wisdom and found that “It is an unhappy business that God has given the children of man to be busy with” (1:13). This preacher was king over Israel. He had bunches of wives, money, and the esteem of people all over the world. He was the most influential man of his time and all he could say was-this sucks.
He ends chapter one saying “In much wisdom is much vexation, and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.” (1:18)
And this is a joyous love story? Yes, it is. The preacher, most commonly assumed to be Solomon, is setting the stage for us. I think there is a fallacy generally held among believers. This fallacy is that if God loved us, we would not have pain or sorrow or “much vexation”. Even within groups where people know better, there is an underlying current that says “if you are depressed or sick or facing challenges, it means that God is angry with you.”
The preacher is saying no, that isn’t the case. Everyone faces challenges. Even the most wise, wealthy man in the entire world can see that the world is an awful place. Everything we do is pointless. We keep chasing things that don’t matter. We chase wisdom only to find out that the more you know, the more you realize that things are not good.
God knows we are living in a sinful and fallen world. He knows that we want things that don’t matter. This love story is letting us know that He knows.
That is a pretty sad start to any book. In my mind, I see the preacher. He is sitting hunched over his desk in his deep purple robe. He has fought how to write this. He doesn’t really want to write it. He is compelled though, compelled to tell what he has learned in his years of life. He is compelled by God’s own spirit to write this sad, sad love story and so he starts by telling us it’s all “vanity”.
So what is “vanity”? Dictionary.com defines vanity as many things. The most apt definition in this case is “something worthless, trivial, or pointless”. When I was an English teacher, I played a game where I would use the definition in place of the word. “Trivialness of trivialness, says the preacher, worthless of worthlessness. All is pointless.” Wow, that kind of brings me down. The book doesn’t get a whole lot better after that.
“All things are full of weariness; a man cannot utter it; the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear with hearing,” (Ecc 1:) We talk about stress and depression like they are new. The preacher says there is nothing new under the sun. As people we have this need for more. We need more speed. We need more stuff. The problem is that everything we need more of is vanity. Even though I really like the motorcycle and my smart phone, there is no real value in them. They are pointless. The more we seek to gain wisdom, the more we see that there really isn’t much of value in this world.
The preacher saw it. He said he searched out wisdom and found that “It is an unhappy business that God has given the children of man to be busy with” (1:13). This preacher was king over Israel. He had bunches of wives, money, and the esteem of people all over the world. He was the most influential man of his time and all he could say was-this sucks.
He ends chapter one saying “In much wisdom is much vexation, and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.” (1:18)
And this is a joyous love story? Yes, it is. The preacher, most commonly assumed to be Solomon, is setting the stage for us. I think there is a fallacy generally held among believers. This fallacy is that if God loved us, we would not have pain or sorrow or “much vexation”. Even within groups where people know better, there is an underlying current that says “if you are depressed or sick or facing challenges, it means that God is angry with you.”
The preacher is saying no, that isn’t the case. Everyone faces challenges. Even the most wise, wealthy man in the entire world can see that the world is an awful place. Everything we do is pointless. We keep chasing things that don’t matter. We chase wisdom only to find out that the more you know, the more you realize that things are not good.
God knows we are living in a sinful and fallen world. He knows that we want things that don’t matter. This love story is letting us know that He knows.
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Ecclesiastes is a Love Story
Depression is enveloping our society. Every hour on tv you can see ads for medications that will fix the depression. While I know that some people respond well to medication and need medication, I also know from personal experience that the medication route can lead to trouble. Our society seems to think that if there is a problem, you should take a pill. If that pill causes a problem, you should take another pill. Then when those pills interact, another is added. We pile chemicals on top of chemicals and are surprised when our bodies do not respond positively.
So we turn to something else, anything else. We turn to alcohol. We turn to education. We turn to the internet. We turn to sex. When we stop tossing about from thing to thing, we can see the answer. The answer is Jesus.
The preacher, Solomon, wrote a book in the Bible-Ecclesiastes. Ecclesiastes is a love story. Not a very happy love story but in the end it is a joyous love story. Ecclesiastes strikes at the point where depression and joy intersect.
I used to run from this book. I did not want to confront what was being said. The book was nothing but a long list of all the bad stuff I was trying to avoid. What I have found though is that while the book is full of depressing things, we experience those depressing things on a daily basis. The world is a rough place. It is full of darkness. The Bible does not hide from the bad stuff. The Bible helps us to confront our feelings head on.
Yes, there are days when it seems that it would be better to be a still born baby than to have to go through the pain. There are days when all hope seems lost. How many religions are going to come out and tell you that? Wouldn’t it make more sense to say “If you chose our god, you will no longer hurt, no longer have to fight”? Our God doesn’t have to play that game. Our God comes out and says “I know it hurts. I sent my perfect Son to live, die, and be resurrected, so that you who are hurting can know hope. You can know joy. You can know peace.” Our God does not abandon us in the bad places of our minds. He rescues us. He refines us. He turns all depression into joy. He says it’s ok to feel bad. It is ok to hurt. We can cry and know that He will hold us. He will dry our tears. He will comfort us and then He will use us to change the world.
I invite you to read through Ecclesiastes with me. Over the next few weeks, I will be reading a chapter each day and posting about it. Please feel free to leave your comments as you read through too. Ecclesiastes isn’t an easy book to read or understand. I’m relying on many theologians to help with interpretation. I welcome your feedback too.
So we turn to something else, anything else. We turn to alcohol. We turn to education. We turn to the internet. We turn to sex. When we stop tossing about from thing to thing, we can see the answer. The answer is Jesus.
The preacher, Solomon, wrote a book in the Bible-Ecclesiastes. Ecclesiastes is a love story. Not a very happy love story but in the end it is a joyous love story. Ecclesiastes strikes at the point where depression and joy intersect.
I used to run from this book. I did not want to confront what was being said. The book was nothing but a long list of all the bad stuff I was trying to avoid. What I have found though is that while the book is full of depressing things, we experience those depressing things on a daily basis. The world is a rough place. It is full of darkness. The Bible does not hide from the bad stuff. The Bible helps us to confront our feelings head on.
Yes, there are days when it seems that it would be better to be a still born baby than to have to go through the pain. There are days when all hope seems lost. How many religions are going to come out and tell you that? Wouldn’t it make more sense to say “If you chose our god, you will no longer hurt, no longer have to fight”? Our God doesn’t have to play that game. Our God comes out and says “I know it hurts. I sent my perfect Son to live, die, and be resurrected, so that you who are hurting can know hope. You can know joy. You can know peace.” Our God does not abandon us in the bad places of our minds. He rescues us. He refines us. He turns all depression into joy. He says it’s ok to feel bad. It is ok to hurt. We can cry and know that He will hold us. He will dry our tears. He will comfort us and then He will use us to change the world.
I invite you to read through Ecclesiastes with me. Over the next few weeks, I will be reading a chapter each day and posting about it. Please feel free to leave your comments as you read through too. Ecclesiastes isn’t an easy book to read or understand. I’m relying on many theologians to help with interpretation. I welcome your feedback too.