Meaningless

“Warning: Do not read the book of Ecclesiastes when sick.”

Still recovering from the nastiest upper respiratory infection I’ve ever had, I decided to have some extra quiet time with the Lord yesterday, camping on the book of Ecclesiastes.

If you are worried about your health, it may not be the best book of the Bible to snuggle up to, next to Job that is. Because when you are sick and can’t seem to get well, you begin to reflect on life and death more. I’ve tried decongestants and antibiotics. Neither have worked, so worry is creeping in. I am now open to any ideas, and this morning ingested a Chinese herbal remedy for congestion that a friend brought me.

“Meaningless! Meaningless!” says the Teacher. “Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless” (Ecclesiastes 1:2).

You mean if I died tomorrow from this respiratory distress, everything I’ve ever done in ministry wouldn’t matter? The speaking, the books, the blog, the discipling…meaningless?

Yes, meaningless, the Word seemed to echo.

King Solomon, hailed as the wisest man ever, said he didn’t deny himself anything: houses, vineyards, gardens parks, silver and gold, yet towards the end of his life he said everything was meaningless, “a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun” (Ecclesiastes 2:11).

If it’s meaningless, why do I serve God in the way I do? What does it matter?

“Read on,” I heard the whisper say.

As I continued through Ecclesiastes, I finally found the key to avoiding the meaningless life in Ecclesiastes 4:4: “And I saw that all toil and all achievement spring from one person’s envy of another.”

Heart check.

Why do I do I speak, write and minister to people? Is it to please people or to please God? If it’s to please people, then it’s meaningless.

I think I have it now. Our lives are meaningless without God at the center of our being. They are meaningless without the Lord directing our path. They are meaningless if what we care about is receiving attention from others more than glorifying our Creator.

The author of Ecclesiastes goes on to remind us that everything we have comes from God, whether it is wealth, possessions or honor, but he adds that God does not always grant us the ability to enjoy these things. 

Hmmm…maybe that’s why we are often not content with what we have, and desire more. Instead of thanking God for what he’s given us, we replace our things with newer, more updated versions of them. The happiness we feel from our material possessions is always fleeting, and we are on to a new project. Meaningless.

So to avoid a meaningless life, I think we need to listen to what’s said in Chapter 11 of Ecclesiastes. It encourages us to remember our Creator when we are younger, before old age comes, before we are sick, before we can’t kick a respiratory infection. Many of us find religion when we fear death, but we will be held accountable for what we’ve done in our bodies as healthy, younger adults. All our deeds will be meaningless if we’ve done them for the wrong reasons.

And I believe Ecclesiastes 12:13 sums it up: “Now all has been heard, here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind.” If we have a healthy fear of God, then we’ll always want to please him, won’t we? (LBW)

Prayer: Help us to serve you with the right motives and a pure heart. Teach us how to appreciate the gifts and material possessions you have provided, and to be content with what you have given us. Each day, guide us and show us how to put you at the center of everything we do so that you receive all the glory. You are the great healer, Lord and we pray for healing, both physical and emotional. Thank you for the life you have given us and help us to make it meaningful. AMEN