Aug 3

Ecclesiastes 2:10 (NIV84)
10 I denied myself nothing my eyes desired;
I refused my heart no pleasure.
My heart took delight in all my work,
and this was the reward for all my labor.

I really love this book! It has such great things to say and so many viewpoints of life. If you look beyond the depression of a great man, (in the beginning of the book) you will see so much life and wisdom!

In verse 10 a key is found to unhappiness. Solomon got whatever he wanted. All that he did was FOR HIM! We dream about being able to buy whatever we want, but he was a man who did and came up empty! His wisdom wasn’t kicking in! He didn’t even want to leave it to his son, he was completely self absorbed. Lesson: rich or poor, if you are self absorbed, you will be unhappy and even depressed. Here is a key verse:

Ecclesiastes 2:25 (NIV84)
25 for without him, who can eat or find enjoyment?

The him is God. This is so right, but Solomon wasn’t applying it to his life and his quest for attainment. People, without the purposes of God working in your life, whatever you attain will NEVER satisfy you. We only find our being and purpose in Him. In all of life there is much to enjoy, but that enjoyment disappears as soon as it comes. Vacations are great until they are over and you are back to work, then the enjoyment of it flitters away. However, in Christ our work (of enjoyment or toil) lasts forever. It has meaning and we enjoy building for others as much as we do for ourselves as it is in the plan of God. In Him we live and move and have our being.