Broken Kingdoms: WK2 - FRI
Temporary Kingdoms - Ecclesiastes 1:12-14
I, the Teacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem. I devoted myself to study and to explore by wisdom all that is done under heaven. What a heavy burden God has laid on men! I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind.
Ecclesiastes 9:7-10
Go, eat your food with gladness, and drink your wine with a joyful heart, for it is now that God favors what you do. Always be clothed in white, and always anoint your head with oil. Enjoy life with your wife, whom you love, all the days of this meaningless life that God has given you under the sun—all your meaningless days. For this is your lot in life and in your toilsome labor under the sun. Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the grave, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom.
Ecclesiastes 12:8, 13
“Meaningless! Meaningless!” says the Teacher. “Everything is meaningless!”
Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole [duty] of man.
Okay… this may sound morbid, but let’s talk about death. Have you noticed how the knowledge of one’s impending death changes things?
Recently, I spent time with a young couple in the hospital as the 37-year-old wife received treatment for a brain tumor. Hope gave way to resignation as treatment plans, surgeries, and solutions ran their course. Finally, consultations gave way to the simplicity of hospice. The heaviness of knowing how little time remained produced an uncommon honesty. The little things that get in the way of joy and love no longer mattered. Every minute became precious. Valentine’s Day was celebrated in hospital gowns, amid pain medications and bland meals, each moment a cause for celebration. With each visit, I noticed the hugs grew more intense and our relationship deepened. It was an honor to be included in something so important.
I’ve been thinking. What if we lived like we’re all on hospice? Would we be a bit less angry in traffic? Would we find it easier to show up for our children’s ball games? Would we listen better and look one another in the eye more often? How would our priorities be reordered by understanding what Solomon came to know—that death is coming soon? Which concerns that take up the most important slots in our time and energy would be downgraded with this shift in perspective? Are there people you love who need to hear it from you? If you knew you had only one more week, how would you spend it? Who would you spend it with?
Solomon seems to want us to realize that his search for meaning has yielded one answer: all our plans, hard work, and pursuits yield only one thing—temporary satisfaction. So don’t give in to the temptation to build your personal kingdom, stockpile the materials of selfishness, or prioritize work over relationships. Take joy in good food, feel the warmth of the sunshine, and breathe the cleansing air. Swim in the ocean’s waves, tumble through snowdrifts, and stop to watch sunsets and rainbows. Celebrate relationships that are blessed with growing old.
The wisest man who ever lived couldn’t think his way around a simple truth. There is only one way out of this dirt. His name is Jesus.
I, the Teacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem. I devoted myself to study and to explore by wisdom all that is done under heaven. What a heavy burden God has laid on men! I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind.
Ecclesiastes 9:7-10
Go, eat your food with gladness, and drink your wine with a joyful heart, for it is now that God favors what you do. Always be clothed in white, and always anoint your head with oil. Enjoy life with your wife, whom you love, all the days of this meaningless life that God has given you under the sun—all your meaningless days. For this is your lot in life and in your toilsome labor under the sun. Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the grave, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom.
Ecclesiastes 12:8, 13
“Meaningless! Meaningless!” says the Teacher. “Everything is meaningless!”
Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole [duty] of man.
Okay… this may sound morbid, but let’s talk about death. Have you noticed how the knowledge of one’s impending death changes things?
Recently, I spent time with a young couple in the hospital as the 37-year-old wife received treatment for a brain tumor. Hope gave way to resignation as treatment plans, surgeries, and solutions ran their course. Finally, consultations gave way to the simplicity of hospice. The heaviness of knowing how little time remained produced an uncommon honesty. The little things that get in the way of joy and love no longer mattered. Every minute became precious. Valentine’s Day was celebrated in hospital gowns, amid pain medications and bland meals, each moment a cause for celebration. With each visit, I noticed the hugs grew more intense and our relationship deepened. It was an honor to be included in something so important.
I’ve been thinking. What if we lived like we’re all on hospice? Would we be a bit less angry in traffic? Would we find it easier to show up for our children’s ball games? Would we listen better and look one another in the eye more often? How would our priorities be reordered by understanding what Solomon came to know—that death is coming soon? Which concerns that take up the most important slots in our time and energy would be downgraded with this shift in perspective? Are there people you love who need to hear it from you? If you knew you had only one more week, how would you spend it? Who would you spend it with?
Solomon seems to want us to realize that his search for meaning has yielded one answer: all our plans, hard work, and pursuits yield only one thing—temporary satisfaction. So don’t give in to the temptation to build your personal kingdom, stockpile the materials of selfishness, or prioritize work over relationships. Take joy in good food, feel the warmth of the sunshine, and breathe the cleansing air. Swim in the ocean’s waves, tumble through snowdrifts, and stop to watch sunsets and rainbows. Celebrate relationships that are blessed with growing old.
The wisest man who ever lived couldn’t think his way around a simple truth. There is only one way out of this dirt. His name is Jesus.
- Make a list of 10 or more people who are important to you. When was the last time you told them about their importance? Is there someone you should tell today?
- Have you spent time with someone who knew they were dying soon? Who was it? What was that experience like?
- On a scale of 1-10, how much do you fear death? What is most frightening about it? What would you like to say to Jesus about it?
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