Ecclesiastes Challenge Week 1 Recap
Anyways, last week we finished the first full week of the Ecclesiastes Challenge, and I have truly been blessed by this! I'm not going to lie: it's quite depressing because of Solomon's view on the vanity of life (we just got to chapeter 4, so he is still all mopey), but it's forcing me to think about the ways I see life myself when my focus isn't on Christ and how others outside of Christ see life.
In the chapters, I have learned that when the focus isn't on bringing glory to God or honoring him, life seems vain and meaningless. Chapters 1 and 2 reminds us that there is vanity in the heavy pursuit of being truly satisfied with earthly pleasure because it all passes away and we can't take it with us when we die. We weren't meant to find out life's meaning in temporary things or be satisfied with them because our Father has placed eternity in our hearts (3:11). He put voids in our hearts that's only He can fill. Chapter 2 also reminds me that although both the wise and the fool die, those who are wise (in this sense, wise in the Lord. i.e. obeys God and His commands) have eternal life. Chapter 3, which is so far my favorite chapter, established that there is a time and purpose for everything and that God controls it all. I love how my study bible broke said, " we can accept God's timetable or be crushed by it. The God who ordains routine events of our lives is a compassionate, gracious faithful God. We must trust His will and rest in Him." Yes and amen! That was something I so needed to hear.
Many thanks to those who are sticking with me through the challenge and who join me on Periscope each weekday night at 7:30 p.m. EST. It's been fun chatting with ya'll. I can't wait for our meetup again this evening!