- There is nothing better for a person than that he should eat and drink and find enjoyment in his toil. This also, I saw, is from the hand of God. Ecclesiastes 2:24 – Solomon who is experiencing the pointlessness of a life not centered on God steps into the pursuit of trying anything and everything this world has to offer that it says you can discover meaning from. The world says meaning is found in wealth, in possessions, in experiences, and even in sinfulness…and Solmon went after it all. He built, he bought, and he bought into all the lies this world gave him. What was his conclusion after literally trying everything this world has to offer? It too was pointless. Certainly he found pleasures in these things for a moment, but the lasting purpose and meaning he was looking for was not there and his conclusion was that this lasting purpose and meaning then can’t be found anywhere. He tried it all, and couldn’t find what he was looking for, so Solomon settled for a lie. Since there is no lasting meaning and purpose, just go after all the pleasure this life has to give for there is nothing beyond that. He even goes so far to say that this is God’s design, to find your joy in the pleasures you can for there is nothing beyond it. Sadly this line of thinking is far too common in our world. The idea to eat, drink, and find the most out of this life for there is nothing more beyond it is everywhere. Yet when you open your eyes to the truth that there is an eternal God that has an eternal purpose for you, all that changes. Life isn’t about the momentary pleasures but about your eternal life with God. It’s about knowing Him and serving Him. If then your life have been about just the things offered to us in this world to be about, know you are missing out. God is real and He’s the purpose you’re looking for. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 3387
- There is nothing better for a person than that he should eat and drink and find enjoyment in his toil. This also, I saw, is from the hand of God. Ecclesiastes 2:24 – Outside of God there is nothing better for a person to go after than the pleasures of this world in this life. To seek the temporary comforts they give while he can. Because that’s all life and this world can give someone…..outside of God. When you include God the whole story changes. Joy can be found. Purpose can be found. Love can be found. All that our hearts and minds long for for eternity can be found. So yes, worldly things can give pleasure, but that’s the entirety of their help to you. What’s comes from God is what our lives are fueled on and what fills someone to an overflowing state. You must make a choice here, what are you going to seek after in this life. If all you want is worthless, temporary pleasure seek anything other than God. If you want the things that will fill the emptiness inside you seek out a deeper life with God. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 836
- I said in my heart, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure; enjoy yourself.” But behold, this also was vanity. Ecclesiastes 2:1 – Many of us can relate to “testing pleasure.” Can we though say we’ve tested a life with Jesus? For those who have we know that’s where the true joy we need comes from. For those who haven’t, try Jesus for a change and find the change in your story you’re looking for. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac (shorter devotions this week due to being at camp, sorry!) – Daily DEVO 1658
- Then I said in my heart, “What happens to the fool will happen to me also. Why then have I been so very wise?” And I said in my heart that this also is vanity. For of the wise as of the fool there is no enduring remembrance, seeing that in the days to come all will have been long forgotten. How the wise dies just like the fool! Ecclesiastes 2:15-16 – Both have the same ending. In our passage the writer comes to the conclusion that his chasing after wisdom really does end with a pointless pursuit. That while yes in life wisdom did offer benefits, at the end of his life whether he was the wisest person or the most foolish person didn’t matter, each still died. Keep this in mind as we chase after things today. The most wealthy will die like the most poor. The athlete will die like the spectator. The famous will die like the non-famous. All die, all face eternity with nothing from their life on earth…accept one thing. Did they choose to follow Jesus? That choice is the only thing they’re bringing with them. Today, that’s the only choice that matters for you. Have you chosen to follow Jesus? Sure, pursue wisdom, wealth, fame, I’m not trashing that…but have you chosen to follow Jesus first? Do you know if your life ended today and all that other stuff faded away like it eventually will that you’ll be walking into the beauty of Heaven instead of the gates of Hell? Please don’t let another day pass by without settling this and know I’m available to walk you through this decision as well. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1992
Daily DEVO 