Ecclesiastes – Chapter 1

I have seen everything that is done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and a striving after wind. Ecclesiastes 1:14 – If you are looking for a depressing and confusing read, then you are in the perfect book! Ecclesiastes is a complex book and some background info will help. Solomon is the author and he is recording the seasons of his life when he sought out the purpose of life, but did so without the Lord in view. “Everything under the sun” will be a repeated phrase and its referring to everything the world has to offer apart from an eternal, Godly perspective. Here Solomon looks at life as a whole and says everything about life is pointless. He’s seen it all and everything he’s seen is pointless and life is pointless…like a said, a depressing book. Yet crazily enough, what Solomon discovered was exactly what God designed and what the Lord wanted Solomon to find. God wanted Solomon, and everyone else in the future, to know that life without Him in view is a pointless life. For let’s remember we are created to worship God and to be in relation with God. Our entire existence and our entire purpose is centered around God. So it’s no surprise to anyone that if you stop focusing on the God we’re created for that everything about life is going to come up short. Life is meaningless if God is not what your life is about. Solomon was spot on with his discovery and God blessed Solomon with this wisdom. Every day you live where God is not the focal point is a day where you are missing the point of life. Don’t be surprised if you are feeling empty and struggling to see the worth of this life if God is not your focus. You were created for Him and to be with Him. Bring Him back to the center of your life and discover the fullness that this life has to offer you. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 3386

Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher, vanity of vanities! All is vanity. Ecclesiastes 1:2 – As we step into a new book I wanted a verse to help us understand where we were going and this one takes the cake. The writer has seen the pointlessness of pursuing things other than God in this world. He also has a deep sympathy for others and wants to help them not fall prey to the temptations he’s faced. Keep this in mind as we read through this book. Outside of God we won’t find what our heart is desiring after. It’s all vanity, all worthless pursuits. The writer, and I as well, long for you to hear the fulfillment of all you are looking for in this life only comes from a closeness with Jesus. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 835

All streams run to the sea, but the sea is not full; to the place where the streams flow, there they flow again. Ecclesiastes 1:7 – As we lean into this new book, understand this is coming from King Solomon, the wisest man to ever have lived and a king who was incredibly wealthy. He is speaking of his search for purpose and joy in all the things the world has. Here he speaks of the streams and the sea. This to refer back to us, we are the sea. When we allow the “streams” of the world to freely flow into our life we’ll notice they won’t fill us like we need. The stream of fame, money, a new relationship, and others will seem like it would fill us greatly, but in the end if that’s all we go for we’ll remain empty. The only thing that can pour into us and we find a true filling is Jesus. We can chase after so many things yet Jesus is the only one who can give us what we need. Be sure the stream that’s pouring into you can actually offer you what you truly need. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1657

All things are full of weariness; a man cannot utter it; the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing. Ecclesiastes 1:8 – To explain this imagine searching for the right home for your family to live in. You look at dozens of houses but you aren’t satisfied with anything you see. None feel right, none have everything you want or need, none feel like they could be a home for you. This is the idea the writer is speaking of when he looks at all life has to offer in this world. Nothing satisfies, nothing gives him what he needs, nothing gives him the meaning he’s looking for. He looks and can’t find, listens but hears nothing useful. Outside of Jesus your eyes are going to search and not find what they are needing. It’s like needing new car and going to a butcher to find one. If you’re not going to Jesus, you won’t find what you need. For you are looking for true hope in life, purpose to your pain, a purpose to your life, peace, and forgiveness of your wrongs. Your eyes can look other places and your ears can listen to so many other voices, but the only One who can offer you want you need is Jesus. You have the freedom to continue searching, my hope though is you take the vanity of your pursuits so far as evidence that anything other than Jesus won’t offer you the fullness of what you need. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1991