LEARNING DAILY

 

Ecclesiastes 8:15, So I commended enjoyment, because a man has nothing better under the sun than to eat, drink, and be merry; for this will remain with him in his labor all the days of his life which God gives him under the sun.

 

If you want to take a verse out of context in order to justify a sin-filled lifestyle, I would use this one. In the writing of Ecclesiastes, Solomon wrote this four times. It seems to be saying when you do not understand things or what is happening around you, shrug your shoulders and just enjoy your life doing anything and everything that pleases you. But, as a Christian, you do not eat, drink, and be merry as the unbelievers do.

 

Remember Solomon attempted to find happiness and meaning with wealth, wives and concubines, wisdom, wild living only to find that this stuff could not fulfill him. His attempts to gratify his flesh left him empty. Let’s be honest – you and I have tried to get satisfaction and find happiness out of stuff and the stuff could not deliver the satisfaction we wanted. It takes awhile to learn we never know the joy we are seeking or learn to be satisfied with stuff until we understand that it is a gift from God; then everything makes sense. Solomon’s writing is for you and me to know that life apart from God has no meaning and cannot produce true happiness.

 

In reading this verse, it seems to me that you and I need to be thankful for what we have, knowing it is a gift from God.  We live this way, not worried about what everyone else has nor worrying about why evil prospers. We are satisfied with what we have. We are satisfied that God knows our present situation and the circumstances we face and that there are things we cannot change. We face these things knowing that God knows them and His love for us will be our guide, our help, and our strength.

 

The life we enjoy as Christians, as part of the family of God because of what the Lord Jesus Christ did for us at the cross and through His resurrection comes with the understanding that our life now is God’s gift to us. He gives us all things to enjoy. We enjoy all in moderation and with thanksgiving. We do so, each day for as long as we live. We rejoice in knowing that God is at work in our lives, whether our walk be difficult or smooth. We acknowledge He is with us as we walk the narrow way to His kingdom, trusting Him in every circumstance we face, and learning to be content with what we have.

 

There are many things God conceals from us. He is infinite and you and I are finite. There is no one who can control or even predict what the rest of the day holds, let alone tomorrow. Our best bet is to enjoy the present and what God has given us – all as God’s gifts to us. You and I owe God our worship!