Intro:
It is true there is nothing new under the sun. In a fallen world should it be other than? Still, there is much beauty to be seen for the eyes, heart, and mind to behold for those who have eyes to see, and a heart of flesh, not stone.
~ GW… (Looking at a dew drop on an early morning summer’s rose petal to come. And looking to the sky for the Daystar who rises in my heart.)
“There is a vanity that takes place on earth, that there are righteous people to whom it happens according to the deeds of the wicked, and there are wicked people to whom it happens according to the deeds of the righteous. I said that this also is vanity. And I commend joy, for man has nothing better under the sun but to eat and drink and be joyful, for this will go with him in his toil through the days of his life that God has given him under the sun.”
Ecclesiastes 8:14-15
None of us are guaranteed to know the date of our death. But we know something just as certain: unless Christ returns first, that day will come. Until then, Scripture says, we will inhabit a creation that is subject to futility, with evil around us, sin within us, and chaos seeming to prevail more often than not. We will see the wicked prosper and the godly struggle. These truths are poignantly expressed in the words of the Preacher of Ecclesiastes: “There is a vanity that takes place on earth.”
By itself, that observation could send us into a spiral of sorrow, sullenness, and despair. But the writer of Ecclesiastes does not leave us there. Instead, he makes a rather surprising recommendation: “I commend joy … to eat and drink and be joyful.”
Observation: life is unmanageable.
Recommendation: enjoy life’s simple pleasures!
How can anyone know genuine enjoyment of such pleasures when life is futile and unjust and comes with an expiration date? This is something that is only possible for those who know the truth. We can freely and guiltlessly enjoy the pleasures God gives because we know God; indeed, it honors the Giver of such gifts to enjoy what He gives. The apostle Paul describes God as the one “who richly provides us with everything to enjoy” (1 Timothy 6:17). The fact that simple pleasures offer no ultimate satisfaction does not mean they offer no satisfaction. It is knowing that there is life beyond the sun that frees us to enjoy our life “under the sun.” As the hymn writer puts it:
Heav’n above is softer blue,
Earth around is sweeter green;
Something lives in every hue
Christless eyes have never seen.[1]
When was the last time you asked someone, “Are you enjoying yourself?” When did you last ask yourself that question? It is a good, Christian thing to ask! We know both that the world is broken and that every good gift comes from God. So, honor Him by enjoying your next cup of coffee, your next day with your spouse, your next day at work, the next thing that makes you smile, as a gift from Him. He’s given these blessings to you for your God-honoring enjoyment, so that you can say with the psalmist, “This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it” (Psalm 118:24).
[1] George Wade Robinson, “I Am His, and He Is Mine” (1876).
[Alistair Begg]
As one who is prone to be sorrowful over the state of evil in the world, I know I would drown in it if it were not for the joy of Jesus, who is faithful to drag me back from the precipice and remind me of His Love and ultimate control.
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Yes, He is so faithful to draw our attention back to Him!
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Yes and that reset in focus makes all the difference.
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Yes, it does indeed!
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Learning to see with Christ-filled eyes is one of the insuperable joys even in this fallen world! Oh for more of Christ that we may see all the more the beauty and joy that is ours in Him! Thank you for this wonderful meditation, G.W.
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Thank you, Dora. Yes, as the world sinks deeper into darkness, He grows brighter in His light! Oh, for ever more of His light!
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A very good reminder GW. I do wish my habits and lifestyle choices each moment would reflect what I know in my head a bit more.
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As do I, Gary. I feel I spit way too much ash from the type of news we are fed. I need more and more of His pure water to cleanse all of me, inside and out.
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I know the taste…I’ve changed my diet quite a bit lately.
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Important, thanks for the reminder.
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I’m glad this clicked with you. Thank you for reading.
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This a wonderful prospect. How often does the average person truly enjoy a moment, much less a day or an event.
Our attitudes are products of our own making, it is not someone elses’s fault that I am not happy. I can make it up in my own heart to release myself to enjoy life at it’s own essence.
“…Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds….”
Hebrews 12:2-3
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Life will not be perfect on earth, but we have much more power of personal choice than we think to recognize His presence and blessings each day. It becomes a matter of practice.
Thank you for your thoughts and input, Pedro!
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I would like to see the gratitude of the church, and to be grateful for all of the opportunities to count it all joy ( James 1:2-3)
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Ohhh, I needed this!
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May you be blessed by it. I’m glad it spoke you! 🙏
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I enjoyed your writing, G.W. Thanks for sharing! –Poetry King
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Thank you, Poetry King. And thanks for commenting!
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