September 2, 2024 - Meaninglessness

ECCLESIASTES 1:1-3:22

2 CORINTHIANS 6:1-13

PSALM 46:1-11

PROVERBS 22:15

One Year Bible Audio & Daily Reading (oneyearbibleonline.com)

Ecclesiastes 1:14 I have seen all the things that are done under the sun;

all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind.

15 What is crooked cannot be straightened;

    what is lacking cannot be counted.

There is nothing on this earth that truly matters. In the end when we stand face to face with Jesus nothing of this world will matter. We spend so much time chasing after things that this world says is important and valuable. But in the end none of it matters.

Ecclesiastes 1:16 I said to myself, “Look, I have increased in wisdom more than anyone who has ruled over Jerusalem before me; I have experienced much of wisdom and knowledge.” 17 Then I applied myself to the understanding of wisdom, and also of madness and folly, but I learned that this, too, is a chasing after the wind.

18 For with much wisdom comes much sorrow;

    the more knowledge, the more grief.

Solomon was the wisest man who ever lived and his wisdom made him more aware of the grief of living in this life. In this world that is not our home.

Ecclesiastes 2:10 I denied myself nothing my eyes desired;

    I refused my heart no pleasure.

My heart took delight in all my labor,

    and this was the reward for all my toil.

11 Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done

    and what I had toiled to achieve,

everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind;

    nothing was gained under the sun.

Solomon had not only wisdom but riches. He had anything that he wanted at his fingertips. He lacked nothing that he desired. At this point in his life he understands as we should that none of his desires or pleasures that he sought have any value.

Ecclesiastes 2:18 I hated all the things I had toiled for under the sun, because I must leave them to the one who comes after me. 19 And who knows whether that person will be wise or foolish? Yet they will have control over all the fruit of my toil into which I have poured my effort and skill under the sun. This too is meaningless. 20 So my heart began to despair over all my toilsome labor under the sun.

There is nothing that we can gain or earn in this life that matters in eternity. If our plan is to please our desires and live according to the values of this world we will have no hope and will despair over all our toilsome labor.

Ecclesiastes3:12 I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live. 13 That each of them may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all their toil—this is the gift of God. 14 I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that people will fear him.

All we can do, is to do good. And doing good is not something we can do on our own. At least doing it with the right heart. Anyone can do what the world might see as good but if the heart is for selfish satisfaction as opposed to being satisfied in our toil in obedience to the hand of God it will all be for nothing.

2Corinthians 6:4 Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; 5 in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger; 6 in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; 7 in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left; 8 through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors; 9 known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; 10 sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything.

Amen