Chasing After the Wind

I'm slowly making my way through the books of the Bible, yet in no particular order.  Last week I read through Ecclesiastes, and I must say, it was a difficult one for me.  Not because it was hard to read or the theology was too deep for my understanding, but because of the despair that Solomon expressed in his writing.  In Ecclesiastes Solomon chronicles his search for meaning in life.  He looks in all the usual places: work, wisdom, pleasure, and even folly.  No dice.  At the end of each section he laments that everything is like chasing the wind.  There is meaning in nothing.  In chapter 1 verse 14 he says, "I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind."  One thing I thought of as I read the phrase "under the sun" was the fact that Solomon was looking at the creation for meaning when he should have been looking at the creator.  He was looking under the sun when he needed to look over the sun.  In God we find our ultimate purpose.  In God alone is there meaning for life!  When you look anywhere but to God for your purpose in life you will come up short.  Trying o find meaning in the things of this world will disappoint you again and again.  Our purpose is to glorify God in all that we do!

Another verse that stuck out to me was 3:11 which says that God, "has made everything beautiful in its time.  He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end."  We were created for much more than just this life on earth.  We were created for an eternity spent with our heavenly father.  The limitations of our flesh keep us from seeing the true nature and glory of God, but someday it will be revealed to us.  By setting eternity in our hearts God has shown us that we are meant for an eternal dwelling place with him.

The wisdom of Solomon in Ecclesiastes abounds.  Chapter 5 verses 1-2 say, "Guard your steps when you go to the house of God.  Go near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong.  Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God.  God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few."  How often it is that I go before God in prayer with a lengthy list of requests.  Sometimes I talk to God as if what I have to say is more important that His words to me.  How foolish!  These verses remind me that prayer is two-way communication, and I must spend more time listening to my heavenly father, because it is through these intimate moments of prayer that he reveals himself to me most clearly.

I praise God everyday for his infallible Word to us.  Again and again I'm thankful that I can hold in my hands words breathed by God himself!  What a privilege it is to be able to study and understand scripture.  I hope that you will find a similar joy as you delve into the pages of scripture yourself!