Day 137 – Ecclesiastes: Solomon’s personal experience

“Everything is wearisome beyond description. No matter how much we see, we are never satisfied. No matter how much we hear, we are not content.” Ecclesiastes 1:8 NLT

Reading Ecclesiastes 1:1 to Ecclesiastes 2:26

We might look at this book and wonder how the wisest man on earth could have felt this way. Solomon had a purpose for writing sceptically and pessimistically. Near the end of his life, and all he had done, he saw that it all seemed meaningless. Although he tried everything and achieved much, he found that nothing apart from God brought him happiness. He wanted the readers to avoid senseless pursuits and be satisfied in God.

Solomon searched for satisfaction almost as though he were conducting a scientific experiment. Through this process, he discovered that life without God is a long and fruitless search for fleeting pleasure, meaning, and fulfilment. True happiness is not in our power to attain because we always want more than we can have. In addition, circumstances beyond our control can snatch away our attainments. The more we try to get, the more we realise how little we really have and how temporary it is. No pleasure or happiness is possible without God. Without Him, satisfaction is a lost cause. Above everything, we should strive to know and love God. He gives wisdom, knowledge, understanding, and joy.

Prayer: Father, how often do we chase the wrong thing, leading down a meaningless path, void of divine satisfaction? May our hearts be filled with contentment for our blessings and gratefulness for having a relationship with You and for following You.  Amen.