Reflection

Today, we turn to Ecclesiastes for another perspective on building a life on money, possessions and personal power – and how that can separate people from God. Ecclesiastes shows us the futility and foolishness of a life lived without an eternal perspective – a life lived outside God’s kingdom.

Solomon’s greatness was undisputed and unrivalled – even his wisdom never left him. It might seem from these verses that he lived a life devoted only to the pursuit of pleasure, but he was intelligent after all. He looked for legitimate pleasures in life such as the satisfaction one derives from the accomplishments of hard work. But, when he looked objectively at all he had achieved, he concluded that it was all meaningless – it was meaningless because it didn’t last. There was no enduring, eternal sense of meaning to life lived for these earthly pleasures and accomplishments.

The pursuit of knowledge, pleasure and wealth fails in two ways. Firstly, these things draw people away from God as they become the focus of their time and energy and the source of their meaning and significance. Secondly, they fail to truly satisfy because they are temporary and never truly satisfy our deepest needs. Apart from God, there is a sense of dissatisfaction and almost uselessness irrespective of how successful a person may be.

We could easily substitute the young man in our story. He devoted himself to his work and to the accumulation of wealth and prestige. When he is asked to examine his achievements and his relationship with God, what will be more important? DR

Questions

What does your heart take delight in?

Why is it so tempting to find satisfaction and meaning through our work?

How do you bring true and last meaning to your work?

Prayer

Almighty God, help us to be good stewards of all that you give us. Help us to avoid the distractions of wealth and possessions, and help us to understand that they do not satisfy nor sustain us. Help us to seek you and your will for us. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.