The End of Meaningless Living
by Jeanne Rogers
“Here is my final conclusion; Fear God and obey his commands,
for this is the duty of every person.” (Ecclesiastes 12:13, NLT)
King Solomon had wealth, power, and status. Kings and leaders of other nations considered him to be the wisest man in the world and sought to learn wisdom from him. (1 Kings 4: 29-34)
Solomon recorded the wisdom he learned in several books of the Old Testament, but the book of Ecclesiastes seems to be one that is most misunderstood. It was written late in Solomon’s life. He used his personal experience to create a critical analysis of life’s true meaning. The writing is honest, even cynical, but its reflective wisdom reveals Solomon’s recommitment to God after he repented from idolatry and the pursuit of foreign wives.
Ecclesiastes asks some relevant questions about the way we live. Solomon’s negative probing explores his life’s pursuits, stating repeatedly that, “All is vanity.”
He portrays man’s existence as a lifetime of toiling in the sun to sustain physical life, chasing the winds of pleasure, and the futile pursuit of human wisdom, that does not solve man’s dilemma. In closing, Solomon wrote, “Here is my final conclusion: Fear God and obey his commands, for this is the duty of every person.”
Solomon paints a pessimistic picture, but futile living was the fruit of a disobedient act in the garden over 900 years before Solomon’s day. With one disobedient act, creation’s perfect design was exchanged for purposeless living.
Satan deceived Adam and Eve and Jesus watched them leave the life-giving garden of God’s presence and step into spiritual death. Eventually, they experienced physical death as they toiled under the curse, separated from God. All of creation was affected; they mourned and groaned in the absence of God’s presence. (Romans 8:20-22)
When man lost the union of his soul with God, it affected his capacity to think, feel and choose. God’s divine plan to restore spiritual life and intimacy with His creation required Jesus to leave the His father’s presence and enter the sinful dwelling of man. But His sinless life, His death on the cross, and His resurrection provided an escape. A narrow way was offered to all mankind that would end man’s alienation from God.
Making It Personal
“Since God did not spare even His own Son but gave Him up for us all, won’t God, who gave us Christ, also give us everything else? (Romans 8: 32) NLT
Jesus obeyed and submitted to His Father’s plan. Jesus makes it clear that He is the Way, the Truth and the Life, and no one can come into a relationship with the Father except through Him. (John 14:6)
The resurrected life of Jesus restored our intimacy with the Father. God’s powerful presence brings the acceptance and sense of belonging we seek. Our new birth in Christ declares us innocent as His blood washes away our guilt and sin. The Holy Spirit and His word guide us into righteous living. When Satan works to deceive, we resist him with Christ’s authority over the kingdom of darkness.
We find our purpose as we fit like living stones into the spiritual house that Jesus builds. In His spiritual kingdom we learn to focus our energy on people and activities that will remain forever—things that are eternal instead of temporal.
Jesus Christ brought an end to the meaningless living Solomon described! God wants us to experience new life in Christ and share new life freely with others.
This week
Put an end to meaningless living. Step from spiritual death to Spiritual life as you allow Christ’s love to end the separation between you and God.
Prayer
“Lord, living my life apart from your presence is futile. You satisfy the deepest longing of my heart. Your life and love will guide my relationships, my work and my pleasure.”
