HOPE BECKONS: #64

The Vanity of Life

ECCLESIASTES 1:1-11

1 The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.
2 Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.
3 What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun?
4 One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth abideth for ever.
5 The sun also ariseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to his place where he arose.
6 The wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about unto the north; it whirleth about continually, and the wind returneth again according to his circuits.
7 All the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea is not full; unto the place from whence the rivers come, thither they return again.
8 All things are full of labour; man cannot utter it: the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.
9 The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.
10 Is there any thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new? it hath been already of old time, which was before us.
11 There is no remembrance of former things; neither shall there be any remembrance of things that are to come with those that shall come after.

Beloved, of what use is living for the pleasures of this temporary world? Of what use are your toils and riches if they can't buy you a place in heaven? Of what good is satisfying your eyes and heart with the desires and longings of the flesh if the flesh will eventually die and decay?

Vanity of vanities! Of what good is the envy of the earthly achievements of your neighbour when not even one of his achievements will be used as a weighing standard for the life to come? Of what good are your intellectual prowess if you don't observe the commandments of divine guidance and spiritual insight?

The life we live here on earth is like the wind that comes and varnishes same way it came.. a cycle that is time and season bound. For indeed there is nothing new under the sun. That which you are dying to have will one day be a trash before your very eyes. Those wealth and riches that you are willing to destroy and kill to have, will one day be shared for your burial at the time of your death.

The conclusion of the matter; in order to avoid living a life of waste and of vanity, is to live a life that fears God and keep His commandments. For indeed, this is the whole duty of man.

PRAYER
May the peace of the Lord be with you and give you the grace to live a meaningful life that guarantees a place in God's kingdom in Jesus' name... (AMEN!)

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Addition to the 'Hope Beckons' Series