Clay in the Hands

Tonight we will begin a study on the book of Ecclesiastes.  It is a book in the Old Testament attributed to King Solomon.  Solomon was credited as the most wise person in the world.  God had blessed him with an uncanny understanding of the world and how it works.

That is why this book is so surprising to me.  The book is written from a very negative perspective – in fact, you could even say it’s a bit depressing.  So much so that I am reluctant to commit to spending the next several weeks studying it.  The overarching theme of the book is the vanity of this existence.  One translation uses the word meaningless.  While I wholeheartedly believe that each page of the Bible is included because that is how God intended it to be, I have to admit that spending the next several weeks digging into 12 chapters of one person’s pessimistic view of just how pointless and meaningless this life is does not sound like a good time!

BUT . . .

What  I learn from what Solomon has to say is a reminder of a simple fact:  if this life here on earth is all there is then there isn’t a point to our existence – no meaning at all.  But we know better.  What we see now is not all there is.  Our hope is not placed in what we can attain here in this life time.  Our hope is in Jesus.  Our focus is on him and living to please him.

So when life seems to cave in on you today, remember that there is more – so much more!

Take heart!