Meaningless! Meaningless!" says the Teacher. "Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless." (Ecclesiastes 1:2)

You don’t expect that title on the front-page of our web-site, do you? Somehow, it doesn’t look right. It is even more surprising that we find it on the front-page of the Old Testament Book of Ecclesiastes.

Solomon, son of David, King of Israel and undoubtedly the author of the book, had taken time to explore the meaning of life. His discoveries were far from encouraging:

* He considered the importance of wisdom, but concluded that “with much wisdom comes much sorrow; the more knowledge, the more grief”. (1:18)

* He looked at the effect of pleasure, laughter, wine and folly. But that also proved to be meaningless.

* He undertook great projects, he built houses, planted vineyards, made reservoirs, was involved in business and became extremely wealthy. Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun. (2:11)

* He considered all his hard work, his achievements, his effort and his skill and realised that “a man may do his work with wisdom, knowledge and skill, and then he must leave all he owns to someone who has not worked for it. This too is meaningless and a great misfortune”.(2:21)

* He found riches to be meaningless as well: “Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income. This too is meaningless”. (5:10)

Are you feeling encouraged yet? No? It all looks a bit bleak, doesn’t it and yet is that not how people often see life? That is why so many people are not happy, not content. That is why many people are looking for greater excitement, bigger houses, nicer cars and more exotic holidays.

That is why many people who look back over their lives wonder what it is all about. Everything seems so meaningless. What is the point ?

What is the point? Does Solomon answer that question? Yes, he does. The one who takes meaningless out of life is God, the Creator of life: “He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men…. (3:11) God’s creation is beautiful and He made man for eternity, for fellowship with Him. It is not surprising therefore, that human beings cannot find any lasting satisfaction in knowledge, in pleasure, in money, or in work. None of these things are wrong in themselves, but without God they become meaningless. God did not create us forst and foremost to gain wisdom or riches, nor for us to enjoy ourselves or to achieve. The reason God made us is for us to enjoy Him!

When Jesus talked about eternal life, life to the full, life in abundance, He said this: Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. (John 17:3 )

That is why Solomon ends the Book of Ecclesiastes with these simple words: “Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole [duty] of man”.(12:13)

That is it. The sum of life is God. That is what it is all about. Knowing Him, worshipping Him, loving Him, serving Him. And so the challenge is to: “Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come and the years approach when you will say, "I find no pleasure in them"--(12:1)

And if the days of your youth are gone: “Remember him--before the silver cord is severed, or the golden bowl is broken; before the pitcher is shattered at the spring, or the wheel broken at the well, and the dust returns to the ground it came from, and the spirit returns to God who gave it”. (12:6-7)

Don’t live life without Him. That would be meaningless! Remember Him! Believe in Him! Trust in Him! And live accordingly!

Living life to the full,

Pastor Bert