THURSDAY: WHAT’S IT ALL FOR?

Oct 20, 2022
2 min read

Ecclesiastes 4:1-6; 13-16

Then I returned and considered all the oppression that is done under the sun: And look! The tears of the oppressed, but they have no comforter—on the side of their oppressors there is power, but they have no comforter. Therefore, I praised the dead who were already dead, More than the living who are still alive. Yet, better than both is he who has never existed, Who has not seen the evil work that is done under the sun. Again, I saw that for all toil and every skillful work a man is envied by his neighbor. This also is vanity and grasping for the wind.

The fool folds his hands and consumes his own flesh. Better a handful with quietness than both hands full, together with toil and grasping for the wind.

Better a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king who will be admonished no more. For he comes out of prison to be king, although he was born poor in his kingdom. I saw all the living who walk under the sun; they were with the second youth who stands in his place. (v.15) There was no end of all the people over whom he was made king; yet those who come afterward will not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and grasping for the wind.

A lot of oppression is done under the sun. Oppression creates tears, and the oppressed long for a comforter. If I concentrate on oppression, then my mind will drift to punishing the oppressors who hold power. I will begin to think those who have never existed are better off than those who live because of the evil work that is done under the sun.

In my anguish, I will see the envy in the world, and count all work as vanity and grasping for the wind. I will question if there is any truth and justice in the world today.

THINK ABOUT THESE THINGS

If I only think about what is better, then I will always settle for less than perfect. This world is not perfect because sin has corrupted the souls of men. If I focus on the achievements of humans, then I will always focus on the imperfect—those sinful acts of oppressors and those filled with envy.

God has called me to focus on His perfection. His perfection comes with quietness and toil. While everyone else is grasping for the wind, I am called to listen for His still small voice, and then work diligently to obey Him to achieve His objective for my life. Solomon uses himself (v. 15) to describe that he sees his life as grasping for the wind also. Solomon had great wealth, possessions, and wives yet failed to see that these things were his grasping for the wind.

Lord, what You did in Solomon’s life was not vanity, but it prepared us to see the world’s imperfection as a contrast to Your perfection and salvation through Your Son, Jesus Christ. What I might see as vanity, God sees as necessary to show me His perfect life of love and sacrifice through Jesus. Amen.

May you be blessed,

Chaplain Wayne Ruckman