Funny Ecclesiastes

Was just pondering over the Book of Ecclesiastes from the Bible a few days ago with my trusty old friend Ruby & we were laughing over how it sounds so funny.. In Ecclesiastes, Solomon, son of David & King of Jerusalem talks all about how useless life is,.. how we chase after the wind and end up catching nothing.. we thought it was seriously FUNNY! He goes "'Useless! Useless! Everything is useless!" Well.. true.. All of life is meaningless when it is lived without reference to God. There's so many lessons to be learnt from it.. ! See article below...

Remember Your Creator While Young

Read Ecclesiastes 11:7-12:8

Solomon is no dreary pessimist in 11:7 - 12:14. He encourages us to rejoice in every day but to remember that eternity is far longer than a person's life span. Psalm 90:12 says, "Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom." The wise person does not just think about the moment and its impact; he or she takes the long-range view toward eternity. Approach your decisions from God's perspective - consider their impact your decisions from God's perspective - consider their impact ten years from now and into eternity. Live with the attitude that although our lives are short, we will live with God forever.

We often hear people say, "It doesn't matter." But many of your choices will be irreversible - they will stay with you for a lifetime. What you do when you're young does matter. Enjoy life now, but don't do anything physically, morally, or spiritually that will prevent you from enjoying life when you are old.

A life without God can produce a bitter, lonely, and hopeless old age. A life centered around God is fulfilling; it will make the "days of trouble" - when disabilities, sickness, and handicaps cause barriers to enjoying life - satisfying because of the hope of eternal life. Being young is exciting. But the excitement of youth can become a barrier to closeness with God if it makes young people focus on passing pleasures instead of eternal values. Make your strength available to God when it is still yours - during your youthful years. Don't waste it on evil or meaningless activities that become bad habits and make you callous. Seek God now.

The silver cord, golden bowl, pitcher, and wheel symbolize life's fragility. How easily death comes to us; how swiftly and unexpectedly we can return to the dust from which we came. Therefore, we should recognize life as a precious resource to be used wisely and not squandered frivolously.

Stripped of God's Spirit, our bodies return to dust. Stripped of God's purpose, our work is in vain. Stripped of God's love, our service is futile. We must put God first over all we do and in all we do because without him we have nothing. Knowing that life is futile without God motivates the wise person to seek God first.

This comparison of the human body to a house is extremely beautiful. The inference is obvious that our bodies are not ourselves, but only our tenement. Our sojourn in this world is on a lodger's tenure. "The keepers of the house" are, of course, the arms and hands. "The grinding is low" as in advancing life we lose our teeth. The "door" is the mouth, for in age we talk and laugh less, and our lips become compressed. The voice falters and mutters. The "almond tree," with its white blossoms, is, of course, an appropriate symbol of old age. The lamp of life finally falls with a crash on the floor, and the "wheel" is broken.

What, then, is the conclusion of the whole matter? This: that earthly delights are transient; that all this world can offer is an inn for a lodging - it is not our home; that the soul must go forth on its great quest at the hour of death; and that then the one all-important consideration will be, What has been its attitude toward God? Let us love God with the loving fear of grieving him that casts out the fear which has torment. This is the "whole" matter; that is, the one matter of overshadowing importance.