The Meaning of Life
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Ecclesiastes 9:1-5
1. But all this I laid to heart, examining it all, how the righteous and the wise and their deeds are in the hand of God; whether it is love or hate man does not know. Everything before them is vanity, 2. since one fate comes to all, to the righteous and the wicked, to the good and the evil, to the clean and the unclean, to him who sacrifices and him who does not sacrifice. As is the good man, so is the sinner; and he who swears is as he who shuns an oath. 3. This is an evil in all that is done under the sun, that one fate comes to all; also the hearts of men are full of evil, and madness is in their hearts while they live, and after that they go to the dead. 4. But he who is joined with all the living has hope, for a living dog is better than a dead lion. 5. For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing, and they have no more reward; but the memory of them is lost.
1 Corinthians 9:19-27
19. For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all, that I might win the more. 20. To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews; to those under the law I became as one under the law -- though not being myself under the law -- that I might win those under the law. 21. To those outside the law I became as one outside the law -- not being without law toward God but under the law of Christ -- that I might win those outside the law. 22. To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. 23. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings. 24. Do you not know that in a race all the runners compete, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. 25. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. 26. Well, I do not run aimlessly, I do not box as one beating the air; 27. but I pommel my body and subdue it, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.
In the first scripture passage, things are sounding pretty hopeless, aren’t they? I read in my notes that Ecclesiastes means “preacher.” Some believe that King Solomon may have written this book, but others disagree because the tone and style are so different from anything else in the bible. And this book almost seems out of place, as if placed within the pages of the bible by accident. But upon further reflection, we see one of the purposes these chapters serve.
This writer has examined himself and his fellow man. He is deeply disappointed and distressed at our human limitations. We all sin. We all possess the capacity for evil. And he believes we all share a common fate, because within his own human limitations and understanding he cannot envision that any other truth exists. He passes no judgment on whether or not life after physical death occurs, but it would seem that he’s not very hopeful that’s the case—and even it were, why would one want to live over a life of emptiness, searching without finding, seeking without enlightenment, or struggle without reward? Reliving that would be like a hell!
Fast forward several hundred years. Christ has risen. The rules of the game have changed! We now understand the meaning and purpose of our lives! We have more than hope, we have a responsibility and a commission. Our lives take on new meaning and we become new creatures with a promise of eternal life when our physical bodies have expired. What a difference in our outlook!
This writing could really be entitled, “Before and After.” Or “To Have and to Have Not.” We are saved! And it is so sad to meet people who are not. They are so hopeless and seem to live without a direction, without joy—I don’t mean happiness—I mean joy at this great gift of life – not life here and now, but in heaven! Reading Ecclesiastes gives us a window into the minds and hearts of the unsaved. It helps us understand them and allows us to figure out how to better help them hear the Good News. Each of the pronouncements of how meaningless life is can be countered with the difference Christ makes in and to our lives. Life apart from God is meaningless! It is hopeless because man on his own cannot find meaning in his life. If we look around, we see a world full of unsaved people, who long ago gave up on themselves and their fellow man. Our task, our responsibility, is to turn their misguided view on its ear!
Life apart from God is meaningless. That's because God created us to be a part of Him. That’s why without Him, we find no meaning! It’s that simple. God created us for Himself. What an honor and a privilege! What a reason to get out of bed in the morning! What a way to make it through the day! What would otherwise be drudgery, becomes a blessing and a joy! We were made for God! Our purpose is to worship Him by how we live our lives! Rick Warren, in “The Purpose-Driven Life” begins his book with this sentence: “It’s not about you.”
I thank God that is the case!
I hope you spend your day rejoicing in the truth that God created you to be with Him and to be in your life and in your heart, mind and soul. And that you find meaning and purpose through that truth.
Mary
