Ecclesiastes

What an awesome book! The last time I studied Ecclesiastes God was preparing me for marriage. He taught me what a vow means to Him and how serious a choice it is to make a vow to Him, all before I was even engaged. This time, I'm taking more time to really get a better picture of what Ecclesiastes is all about and it's place within the Bible as a whole.

Some things I've been pondering so far:
1. My life, what I do, what I know, my family, my friends, my dog, my husband, who I am, my work.....it all means zero, zilch, nothing unless Christ is at the very center of all these things.

2. We spend our whole lives working, striving, building an estate, looking for satisfaction and happiness in our work, knowledge and accomplishments, all to no avail. So, how can we be content? Even work and strife can be good when taken from the hand of God and acknowledged for it's true origin. (2:24-26) And even this is meaningless.....How can THAT be possible?

3. Even good things from God do not make us happy. Only enjoyment in God Himself offers any satisfaction. It seems like too often we look to God's gifts as the highest thing to be attained. When in reality, it's Him. When we are so utterly consumed by HIM everything else looses it's appeal. Money, lust, greed, jealousy. Even good things like family and friends. We're free to enjoy them of course, but they do not become our whole world, an idol. It ALL seems dim in comparison to the joy of God. Like muted colors on a foggy day, in comparison, the bright and vibrant colors catch our eyes. We see and experience everything else, but they don't quite hold the same "awe factor" as the bright colors do. To me, this is why God ultimately causes suffering. To teach us to look to Him, the bright and morning star. Even the worst of suffering is dimmed in His presence.

4. In Sunday school we were discussing the chapters in Job where God responds after 37 chapters of Job asking "why me?" and his friends trying to give him their answers. God answers by giving Job the right perspective. It's not about us. Job lost everything. Who wouldn't ask "why me?". But, in the end, God had a much bigger picture in mind than the tunnel vision that Job had at times. We all get tunnel vision. Even with the good things in life. We seek enjoyment in the gifts of God rather than in God. Then, even the good things can't be enjoyed as they were intended.