Purpose for living VI
Greetings to you, precious children of God! I bless you this day and welcome you to „Daily Word for Spiritual Edification”! We will continue about Solomon’s search for happiness, satisfaction and the meaning of life. We have already discussed that in the beginning of his life Solomon sought God and loved him, and God gave him wisdom and riches, happiness and fulfilment in life. But Solomon got caught up with superficial things of this world and started to follow other gods. Solomon started seeking for happiness and satisfaction in things and activities. He found only disappointment in them and then he turned back to his beginning.
The story of Solomon is a lesson to all of us; it tells us that the meaning of life, happiness and satisfaction cannot be found anywhere but in God alone. So we need to develop and strengthen personal relationships with God.
Today we will talk about how Solomon tried to find happiness and satisfaction in family life. «Life joyfully with the wife whom you love all the days of your vain life which He has given you under the sun, all your days of vanity; for that is your portion in life, and in the labor which you perform under the sun» (Ecclesiastes, 9:9).
Talking about family life in this verse, Solomon mentions the word „vanity” twice. He tells us that it is easier to walk through life when you are together with someone, but nevertheless it does not guarantee happiness and satisfaction, because without God it is impossible to have happiness and fulfilment. Solomon learnt it from personal experience. Fellowship and warmth of family ties could not fill the void in Solomon’s heart. We already pointed out that Solomon had 700 wives and 300 concubines, but he did not obtain happiness nor he could fill the emptiness in his heart.
Solomon accentuates the importance of fellowship and relationships in the following verse: «There is one alone, without companion: he has neither son nor brother, yet there is no end to all his labours, nor is his eye satisfied with riches. But he never asks, „For whom do I toil and deprive myself of good?” This also is vanity and a grave misfortune. Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, for he has no one to help him up. Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm; but how can one be warm alone? Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him. And a threefold cord is not quickly broken» (Ecclesiastes, 4:8-12).
Solomon states here that two are better than one. He talks about the blessing of friends. Solomon recites some other advantages of having friends:
The one who has friends can be more productive in his life;
The one who has friends can expect help in distress, so it is easier to go through hardships;
The one who has friends has additional resources if an enemy attacks him.
Solomon did have lots of friends; he also helped many people. Nevertheless, he understood that loving people and being loved by them is good but it cannot be someone’s goal in life. Solomon accentuates again and again that only God gives a person purpose, happiness and satisfaction here, on earth, and in eternity. Many people do not acknowledge the role of God in their life, and they do not show interest in eternity; they do not even think about what loving God means. So many believe that it is enough to love people and try to make this world a better place. Dear friends, you can love and be loved, but without God life turns into torment. Yes, the Bible tells us to love our neighbour as ourselves. But it is impossible without loving God first. It says in the Bible: «You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment» (Mathew, 22:37-38). True love for people flows out of the love for God and our relationships with Him.
We need love that will last longer than this life. We need love that is rooted in God’s love. How much time to do spend loving your family and your friends and how much time do you spend loving God? How much to you want to know God and please Him and how can you multiply this desire? These are the questions God wants to ask you! It is very important to understand that outside of God we can’t find any satisfaction in this life. God bless you today! We will continue tomorrow.
Pastor Rufus Ajiboye
