Purpose for living III

Welcome, dear friends, to „Daily Word for Spiritual Edification”!

We have been talking about search for the meaning of life. We are using the life of Solomon, the son of David as our example. Solomon was the wisest person on earth. We saw that in the beginning of his life Solomon obtained wisdom and riches, because he loved God and knew Him. But there came a time in his life, when he forsook God and followed other gods. At that time Solomon tried to satisfy his soul with different things; he looked for happiness in different places. Eventually, Solomon realized that it is impossible to be happy and satisfied in this life without God.

Yesterday we saw that Solomon attempted to find satisfaction in education, knowledge and wisdom. And he did succeed in this area; but at the end he came to conclusion that „all is vanity and grasping for the wind”! It is so important to realize that knowledge on the horizontal level – under heaven – without ‘vertical’ knowledge of God – Who is above heaven and is the Creator of life – is vanity and emptiness. A man might know a lot, but he won’t be able to explain things of this life, won’t be able to obtain genuine moral values. Only God gives that ability.

Today we will look at Solomon’s attempt to find happiness and satisfaction in fun and pleasures of life. «I said in my heart, „Come now, I will test you with mirth; therefore enjoy pleasure”; but surely, this also was vanity. I said of laughter – „Madness!”; and of mirth, „What does it accomplish?” I searched my heart how to gratify my flesh with wine, while guiding my heart with wisdom, and how to lay hold of folly, till I might see what was good for the sons of men to do under heaven all the days of their lives» (Ecclesiastes, 2:1-3).

Here we find that Solomon being a rich man could afford anything his soul desired. «Whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them. I did not withhold my heart from any pleasure, for my heart rejoiced in all my labour; and this was my reward from all my labour»(Ecclesiastes, 2:10).

Many people say that they only have one life, so they need to “live it to the max”. Solomon also decided to attempt living such a life. But this experience helped him to realize that all of it is vanity and cannot make a person happy. «I said in my heart, „Come now, I will test you with mirth; therefore enjoy pleasure”; but surely, this also was vanity. I said of laughter – „Madness!”; and of mirth, „What does it accomplish?” I searched my heart how to gratify my flesh with wine, while guiding my heart with wisdom, and how to lay hold of folly, till I might see what was good for the sons of men to do under heaven all the days of their lives. I made my works great, I built myself houses, and planted myself vineyards. I made myself gardens and orchards, and I planted all kinds of fruit trees in them. I made myself water pools from which to water the growing trees of the grove. I acquired male and female servants, and had servants born in my house. Yes, I had greater possessions of herds and flocks than all who were in Jerusalem before me. I also gathered for myself silver and gold and the special treasures of kings and of the provinces. I acquired male and female singers, the delights of the sons of men, and musical instruments of all kinds. So I became great and excelled more than all who were before me in Jerusalem. Also my wisdom remained with me. Whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them. I did not withhold my heart from any pleasure, for my heart rejoiced in all my labour; and this was my reward from all my labour» (Ecclesiastes, 2:1-10).

Solomon ate different culinary delicacies; nevertheless, it did not make him happy and satisfied. Solomon’s body was fed, but his soul was still hungry. «All the labour of man is for his mouth, and yet the soul is not satisfied», says Solomon (Ecclesiastes, 6:7). The soul does not find its satisfaction in food.

Dear friends! You might think that happiness lies in the ability to buy whatever the heart desires. It is not so! Solomon went through all of it and realized that soul cannot be satisfied with material things. Soul is satisfied only through personal relationships with the living God, with the Creator. That is the only way for a person to obtain happiness and satisfaction in this life.

Till tomorrow! Be blessed!

Pastor Rufus Ajiboye