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Do I? The Constant Reminder


Life is rushing through me. No longer by, just straight through. I see so many things in this world I want to impact, to change. But here I am, halted.

 It’s not apathy.

 It’s paralytic.

 Decisions are being made and I see myself saying no or even agreeing but all along my mind is screaming

what are you doing?

And I don’t really know.

Every choice I make this semester is a big one. Where will I live? Where will I work? Should I get a roommate? Which relationships should I invest the most in? Does any of it even matter?

 Luckily for me, Ecclesiastes is in my top ten.

 I can see it now: sitting at your computer screen shaking your head. That book is so depressing you poor thing. That’s not lucky. Read some Psalms.

 Okay. That’s good advice too, but you’re wrong. That book has pushed me through many paralytic seasons. I was in a bible study a few years ago that went through this book and made me fall even more in love with it. Solomon was the wisest, most wealthy, best supplied king in history. And he couldn’t find the meaning of life in national park sized gardens, never ending parties, or the most beautiful of women. Any achievement I could come up with pales with this man’s. And still he saw it as meaningless.

Until chapter eight.

Until we learn to see the temporal as nothing and eternal as our all.

Until we have built our lives around what God has called us to. (Matthew 6:33)

When that is done for the day. When we have fulfilled our mission. When we have forgiven those who hurt us. When we have prayed and spent time with our Lord. When we have fought the bitterness that often comes when the wicked win. Then Solomon commends the enjoyment of life:

Call your friends.

Eat good food and drink good wine.

Laugh and love together.

Then go to bed and know your trust lies in the Lord and everything else rests in His perfect hands.
And so the words of a man wiser than I reminds that my handicap is greater than I realize. But there is a plan. And my job is small in comparison.

Listen.
Be obedient.
Love.
Be in community.

When I realize this the meaning of life is less daunting. My search becomes a quiet conversation with the Perfection I already love and trust.

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