Day 35 LIfe Sucks, Serve God

Day 35 Been there, done that – it all sucks!

Reading: Ecclesiastes 2

Qoheleth, the writer continues his cynical view of life, he tried everything. Since he was a king, he could do whatever he wanted.

I thought in my heart, "Come now, I will test you with pleasure to find out what is good." But that also proved to be meaningless. ² "Laughter," I said, "is foolish. And what does pleasure accomplish?"
His first attempt was most basic human pursuit – pleasure. Can you imagine the power to do whatever you want? He then tried “laughter”, I guess he had all kinds of Jesters come and make him laugh, bet he wished he had Comedy Central.

³ I tried cheering myself with wine, and embracing folly—my mind still guiding me with wisdom. I wanted to see what was worthwhile for men to do under heaven during the few days of their lives.

He then tried the party life to find out what was there . . .and I found out the same – nothing.

Okay, this guy had the dream life, read this . . .

⁴ I undertook great projects: I built houses for myself and planted vineyards. ⁵ I made gardens and parks and planted all kinds of fruit trees in them. ⁶ I made reservoirs to water groves of flourishing trees. ⁷ I bought male and female slaves and had other slaves who were born in my house. I also owned more herds and flocks than anyone in Jerusalem before me. ⁸ I amassed silver and gold for myself, and the treasure of kings and provinces. I acquired men and women singers, and a harem ^[a] as well—the delights of the heart of man. ⁹ I became greater by far than anyone in Jerusalem before me. In all this my wisdom stayed with me.

If Solomon wrote this, he was the wealthiest man alive and in history, we read in other texts that he had a harem of over 3,000 women.

I love what he wrote, “I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure. I refused my heart no pleasure. My heart took delight in all my work,
and this was the reward for all my labor. 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.”

So we should learn from Solomon, he had it all. What more can we get that he didn’t have?
Why are we trying to get more pleasure? More stuff? More position? Its all meaningless. Stop trying, you are on a treadmill that won’t end.
Life is about people, God and eternity. Life is about meaningful relationships.

Why not stop, play with your kids, spend time with a family member, take time to “smell the roses”. Enjoy the gifts of God and your place in life, that is the key.

God, move me to be content, move me to know that meaning is about you and others . . .NOT about me!