I鈥檝e been reading through the book of Ecclesiastes lately.聽A discourse on life, wisdom and meaning.聽This is the somewhat depressing book, written by Solomon the Wise and Wealthy King, who concludes over and over that it is all meaningless.聽
There are parts that are brilliant observations of life that warm the heart and parts that are full of despair.
In a description prairie folk understand all too well this summer, 鈥淚t is a chasing after the wind,鈥� you end up in Manitoba. He states that with much wisdom comes sorrow, the more knowledge the more grief.聽 Reminds me of Thoreau鈥檚 鈥淭he mass of men live lives of quiet desperation.鈥澛� Although some are not so quiet about it!聽
Yet, Solomon says it is a character of wisdom not to do desperate things.聽From a Biblical perspective this reflects the reality of the fall, we are broken people living in a broken world, to live is to despair.
Wisdom reveals and tempers that despair, as Solomon more than once says, (my paraphrase) 鈥淵ou鈥檒l live until you die, so might as well live.鈥澛燙onsider the story in the gospels of Jesus raising Lazarus from the grave after three days entombed!聽An amazing miracle and joyous reunion with Mary and Martha. Yet, Lazarus was only given life to one day die again. Meaningless!聽 Meaningless?聽
Solomon hints at something beyond the despair of this life, our quest to seek God.聽In reality, God came to seek us!聽Jesus, fully God, fully human, died on the cross, was entombed three days and raised to a resurrection life.聽No death to follow, but eternal living.
Then he ascended into heaven, about which he said 鈥淚 go to prepare a place for you and if I go, I will come back to take you to be with me where I am.鈥� There is a secure hope for those who put their faith in Jesus and choose to follow the path of holiness.聽This life has meaning and purpose in light of eternity.
Walk towards the light!
