I've been reading Ecclesiastes this week. It is so profound, and brings rest to my soul. It is a book that speaks to the essence of our very being as humans. Our questions, our fears, and our weariness. I think it boldly, but also rejoicingly speaks to those of us who experience depression, anxiety, fear and those who live in darkness.
"There is nothing better for a man than to eat and drink and tell himself that his labor is good. This also I have seen that it is from the hand of God" Ecclesiastes 2:24.
There are several times in
Ecclesiastes where the teacher mentions eating and drinking, or feasting.
And he sees that this joy is from the hand of God. He says, “Vanity, vanity,
everything is vanity!” (1:2) It is all complete meaningless, everything is. We strive after wind. The Hebrew word for vanity means a vapor, a smoke; temporary, floating; enigma, paradox. Our lives are a vapor, it's temporary, and it's damn paradoxical. We live in vain when we live for ourselves in our bubbles that we believe are external afflictions and unnecessary pains because we live in a world that does not eat and drink and thinks their labor is good!
And
the teacher totally understands this well. He says, “What do people really get for all their hard
work? I have seen the burden God has placed on us all. Yet
God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people
cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end. So I concluded there is nothing better than
to be happy and enjoy ourselves as long as we can. And people should eat
and drink and enjoy the fruits of their labor, for these are gifts from God.”
I think we do it well, very little of our lifetime. We come home from work exhausted and pissed because we have to do it again the next day, instead of being happy and thankful that we even got to have a job today! I love Pascal's quote - "...we never actually live, but hope to live..."
Our life, our labor, our burdens, are gifts from God, believe it, or not.
Even in our suffering (James 1).
In contrast with the popular belief of our culture.
We are not meant for this world.
"If I find in myself desires which nothing in this world can satisfy, the only logical explanation is that I was made for another world" C.S. Lewis.
For myself, when I decide to have this perspective - to thank God for every detail of my life -- the sufferings, the growth, the sanctification; my family& friends, the roof over my head, the food I eat and the water I drink, the job I have and my coworkers - I am much more joyful and happy. I am truly thankful for this all! (And this perspective is so easy to lose.)
In a documentary I watched with the roommate the other day, called "Happy," they documented the country of Japan. They've coined a term there called "karoshi": death from overwork; an occupational sudden death. After the devastation of Japan's bombings in WWII, the people of Japan built their city from the ground up. They were working up to 12 hour days, six to seven times a week. They would suddenly die without any previous signs of illness.
Karoshi is a sign of the lack of living. Because all they did/do is work.
Ecclesiastes speaks to me because not only can I live in the midst of my labor, but I can have hope in things eternal. Because when this life is over, it's not in vain. It was for the Lord. <3
Today I drove to Pacific City for a birthday weekend. I arrived early to have solitude and to enjoy the creation of God. Tonight and tomorrow I will do the same. I will feast with friends and rejoice in Adri's 21st! Here are some photo highlights:
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