Hi everyone,
I want to share a devotional with you from Ecclesiastes 2 – Is there Meaning in Life?
After reading this chapter, King Solomon was reflecting upon life and he came to 3 conclusions that:
- Pleasures are Meaningless
- Wisdom and Folly are Meaningless
- Toil is Meaningless
Solomon realized that whatever we chase after in life is all meaningless because one day we will all die. Life is short and limited. When we die, everything is over. So what if we are able to enjoy all the pleasures of life? What is that going to give us at the end? It’s meaningless because we gain nothing when we die and it’s like chasing after the wind.
What about wisdom and folly? Solomon realized that even though wisdom is better than folly, at the end, they both share the same fate. Both the wise and the fool will not be remembered, they will be forgotten when they die. So seeking after wisdom and knowledge is also meaningless.
What about working hard and storing up wealth? We work and labour hard so that we can enjoy the fruit of our labour. However, this too is chasing after the wind because when we pass away, we must leave everything we have to those who will come after us. Everything we worked so hard for will be given to those after us. We can’t bring anything with us after we die.
So with all that being said, is there meaning in life? Thinking about this can be quite discouraging. However, Solomon does make a strong point here that one day we will pass away, whether we lived a good, wealthy life or a bad and foolish life, at the end we share the same fate. This reminds us that we should focus on things that will last forever. Later Solomon will point out the very thing that gives meaning in life is to fear the LORD. Our relationship with God is what will last forever. It’s a good time for us to reflect on what are we really chasing after in life? Are we chasing after the temporary and fleeting things or are we chasing after something that will last unto eternity? It’s something that we need to reflect on and be reminded that we need to fixate our eyes on things above instead of earthly pleasures and riches. May the LORD bless us as we continue to fear Him and seek after Him.
Blessings,
Kelsey