READ Ecclesiastes 9–12
A wise artist told his students that if he let the weather determine whether he would go outdoors to paint, eventually he would never go. This verse reminds me of him: “He who observes the wind will not sow, and he who regards the clouds will not reap.” (Ecclesiastes 11:4)
Solomon calls himself “the Preacher” and commends wisdom even though he concludes that in the end, wise or foolish, we all wind up in the grave. He says life is vanity because whatever we do comes to an end, yet he says, “In the morning sow your seed, and at evening withhold not your hand, for you do not know which will prosper, this or that, or whether both alike will be good.” (Ecclesiastes 11:6) In other words, rain or shine, easy or not, we do what God gives us to do even if we cannot see any long-term results!
He tells his readers in one long sentence:
Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come and the years draw near of which you will say, “I have no pleasure in them”; before the sun and the light and the moon and the stars are darkened and the clouds return after the rain, in the day when the keepers of the house tremble, and the strong men are bent, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those who look through the windows are dimmed, and the doors on the street are shut—when the sound of the grinding is low, and one rises up at the sound of a bird, and all the daughters of song are brought low— they are afraid also of what is high, and terrors are in the way; the almond tree blossoms, the grasshopper drags itself along, and desire fails, because man is going to his eternal home, and the mourners go about the streets— before the silver cord is snapped, or the golden bowl is broken, or the pitcher is shattered at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern, and the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it. (Ecclesiastes 12:1–7)
Again, he speaks of the vanity of life, yet we also should be wise, realizing that age will bring inabilities so use whatever God gives us whenever we can because God will use truth and wisdom for His eternal purposes. It is not possible for mere mortals to know what He is doing.
For that reason, Solomon says of himself: “Besides being wise, the Preacher also taught the people knowledge, weighing and studying and arranging many proverbs with great care. The Preacher sought to find words of delight, and uprightly he wrote words of truth. The words of the wise are like goads, and like nails firmly fixed are the collected sayings; they are given by one Shepherd.”
At the same time, he says, “My son, beware of anything beyond these. Of making many books there is no end, and much study is a weariness of the flesh. The end of the matter; all has been heard.”
From our perspective, and if we are wise, we may see that our lives have little impact on the world, on history, and when life nears its end, we may wonder about our value, yet this wise man concludes:
Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil. (Ecclesiastes 12:13–14)
This says to me that life is about faith, that quality of being assured of things hoped for, fully convicted of things not seen. (see Hebrews 11:1) It is knowing that God is God and whatever He is doing, He makes and keeps promises, including those that speak of the value of obedience from His eternal perspective.
I’ve no idea what my small contributions will do. One little boy offered his five loaves and two fish without realizing Jesus would use that to feed thousands. Solomon makes me realize that thoughts of a wasted life are as foolish as actually wasting it by living to please myself. I’ve no idea what He does with those times that I’ve heard and obeyed His voice. This is true for everyone who follows Him. In faith we obey and in faith we leave the results up to Him, thankful that His here-and-now blessing for doing what He asks is joy and a peace that surpasses our understanding. For all this, I am thankful.
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