For a couple Sundays (in August, 2019) we will be talking about money and the resources that we have. The Bible speaks volumes about these things – what we have, what we pursue, our priorities, our responsibilities, and the temptations that we face when it comes to money and work and life.
Solomon wrote Ecclesiastes. He was blessed by God with abundant wisdom (see 2 Chronicles 1:7-13). A theme in the early chapters of Ecclesiastes is the vanity (foolishness, meaninglessness, folly) of so much that we treasure. He even calls the use of his own (God-given) wisdom “vanity.” He uses the phrase “striving after wind” several times in just the first couple chapters. Acquiring wisdom, toiling in our work, gathering possessions… are all “striving after wind.”
What are we chasing?
The “pursuit of happiness” is baked into our culture through the Declaration of Independence. But what creates happiness? where is it found? Many times we strive for achievement in the ways of the world, the ways Solomon was warning against. We work hard… put in long hours… and accumulate more stuff than we need. We can be a lot like a man in a parable Jesus taught (see Luke 12:16-21) who wanted to build bigger barns. He is labeled a fool for finding his comfort and security in his abundance.
The solution: Eat, drink, and find enjoyment in life. Solomon proposes that idea five times in the book (see Ecclesiastes 2:24; 3:13; 5:18; 8:15; 9:7). But what he’s suggesting there is different from Epicurean (Greek) philosophy of “eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow we die.” Even the man in the parable (Luke 12:19) said it, but the meaning was different from what is in Ecclesiastes. Solomon’s wisdom is that we find enjoyment in life by living within our God-given identity. Find pleasure in what God has given us to do. Enjoy the life you have instead of chasing the life you desire. Having wealth isn’t the issue – Solomon was blessed with abundance! Working hard and pursuing goals isn’t the problem. The issue comes from missing out on today in pursuit of tomorrow. Missing out on joy through the folly we often get trapped in. The boat you are on never reaches the horizon you can see.
Let’s not chase the wind… let’s pursue God’s will for our lives. Let’s use what we have been given. Let’s enjoy today through faith-filled living. Let’s be generous with the abundance we have. There’s plenty of joy in the journey; don’t miss it.