Rethinking Life

Today's Verse

Ecclesiastes 5:15 (NLT)

We all come to the end of our lives as naked and empty-handed as on the day we were born. We can’t take our riches with us.

Read: Ecclesiastes 5

Thoughts

I woke up this morning feeling kind of dry and empty, I don’t know if the heat wave in the area has something to do with it. But sometimes, I guess each person will somehow come to that kind of feeling where you wake up one morning and begin to feel like life is empty. And then, you start questioning yourself what life is for. I thought this could be one instance when the enemy will attack because I am vulnerable and ruin my day, so I bowed and pray to the Lord, then read my Bible. For some reason I came across Ecclesiastes 5, and read King Solomon’s emotions and regrets, and joys in life.

Have you ever thought what is good, bad, and best in this life is? Take it from King Solomon, the guy who basically has gone through “all” what life could offer: wisdom, wealth, wives, wretchedness, wickedness, wildness, and anything you can think of. He did not merely thought about what things in life would be, but he tried them himself, even in many instances disobeying God!

Talking about worldly experiences, King Solomon tried it all – not once, not twice, but hundreds until he finds them they never satisfy at all! He was the richest man who ever lived (1 Kings 10:23): he ruled kingdoms, he had 700 wives and 300 concubines, his music is the real orchestra – no iPods or MP3 players, no home theater systems, he always wants the real thing. He doesn’t watch in 70” plasma, he watched games right before his eyes – no 3D please, just real! His circles of friends were kings and conquerors and they gave their daughters to him for wives. Silver was greatly devalued during Solomon’s time (1 Kings 10:21), and possibly just like pieces of rocks that you can put in the foundation of your house. He was crazy about wheels and horsepower (1 Kings 10:26)! Yet, because of all these things and his wives, his heart was drawn away from the Lord, and he greatly transgressed and did evil in the eyes of God (1 Kings 11:9).

And when he grew old, he realized that life is not found in the things he acquired, or the successes he achieved – he calls them “vanity”, meaningless, worthless (Ecc 12:8)! But rather, life and joy and happiness is only found in the “fear” of the true and living God – not afraid, but holy reverence. After all, God judges everything we have done in this life whether good or bad (Ecc 12:14). Solomon said it is good to have things in life and enjoy what you have for these are God’s blessings (Ecc 5:18-20), but don’t set your heart on them for they are nothing. Set your heart on the living God.

You may be young and vibrant, and you think you have life – think again. If you are wiser than Solomon who wrote wise books of Proverbs (31 chapters) and Ecclesiastes (12 chapters), and you think you can beat that, then don’t believe when he said, “Don’t let the excitement of youth cause you to forget your Creator. Honor him in your youth before you grow old and say, ‘Life is not pleasant anymore.’ ” (Ecc 12:1- NLT). The word is “now”, not later when it is too late.

Prayer

Lord God, forgive us if we focus our life on the things of this world. Open and guide our minds to remember You in the days of our lives, that we may honor and glorify Your holy Name. Amen.