“Everything is meaningless,” says the Teacher, ” completely meaningless.”

Do you ever feel that way?

Obviously this emotion is spreading rapidly through our culture today as we see the suicide rates and mass shootings multiply.  To many people, tomorrow seems to be meaningless and not worth sticking around for.

“What do people get for all their hard work under the sun? ” asked King Solomon, the Teacher.  He was the wisest man who ever lived and he wrote Ecclesiastes.

“I observed everything going on under the sun and, really, it is all meaningless – like chasing the wind.”

Pretty depressing, isn’t it?

The futility of pleasure – fleeting and never gives us lasting  contentment.

The meaninglessness of work –  we put so much effort into work that we leave behind to others who have not worked for it.

The injustices of life – evil is very real.

The futility of wealth – those who love money will never have enough.

The limits of human wisdom – “wisdom is difficult to find.”

Death comes to all – “the same destiny (of death) awaits everyone, whether righteous or wicked, good or bad.”

Solomon’s final conclusions are that we should enjoy life while obeying God – real freedom and happiness come exclusively from him.  Evil and injustice will always in a part of life on earth.  We should live in faith knowing God wins in the end and will judge all things.  We are responsible for our own actions in relation to the evil of this world.

Meaning and purpose will only be found by being faithful to God.

That alone is not meaningless.

Thank you for giving my life meaning and purpose, Abba Father.