Exerpt from: Embracing Eternity in the Here and Now: How timeless truths shared through the book of Ecclesiastes can help us live more peaceful, purposeful, and plentiful lives today
Day 1: Live Each Day Like It’s Your Last
Read: Ecclesiastes 1:1-4
1 The words of the Teacher, son of David, king in Jerusalem:
2 “Meaningless! Meaningless!”
says the Teacher.
“Utterly meaningless!
Everything is meaningless.”
3 What do people gain from all their labors
at which they toil under the sun?
4 Generations come and generations go,
but the earth remains forever.
This year, all three of my girls were enrolled in school for six hours, five days a week. For the first time in a long while, I had an uninterrupted period to work. I am decent at time management, yet every day when the clock struck 2:00 p.m., reminding me it was time to get my girls, I’d ask, “Where did the time go?
Most days, I can easily attribute the passing hours to my part-time job, volunteering, or other household duties. But there have been many moments, as I drove towards the pick-up line, when I wondered if I had used my time wisely that day. Had I prioritized things that truly matter, or had I filled my day with fluff; checking off items on my to-do list that seemed important, but had no lasting significance?
We are all pulled in numerous directions each and every day. The opportunities for us to invest our time and talents are abundant. How do we make the best choice when presented with countless good opportunities? We shift from an earthly to an eternal perspective. We don’t allow the lesser things (earthly concerns), to distract us from the better things (the concerns of the Lord).
How do we live well, making the most of our brief time on earth? We embrace eternity in the here and now. Charles Spurgeon once said, “Time is short. Eternity is long. It is only reasonable that this short life be lived in the light of eternity.”
What Does It Mean?
Solomon, the teacher in Ecclesiastes, looks back on his life and shares with us what he’s learned. The book is autobiographical, based on personal experience. Solomon offers insight into his successes and regrets while offering general observations about life. Ecclesiastes can feel disheartening for many, offering little hope for life under the sun. However, this wise teacher is trying to grab our attention. He desires listeners to grasp the reality of our mortality.
If life on earth is all there is, and it’s lights out when we die, then everything we do, work, family, hobbies, or philanthropy, is meaningless. Nothing matters. Nothing we’ve accomplished, achieved, or acquired – the time we spent serving, working, and giving is worthless… unless we have a relationship with Jesus Christ.
The Hebrew word for meaningless is “hevel,” relating to something without value.[1] Pursuing earthly goals, acquiring worth and possessions, and enjoying material advantages are not inherently wrong. It is when we become side-tracked by these earthly pursuits, allowing them to become our source of identity, worth, and joy, that we run into problems.
Therefore, in these opening lines, the teacher warns us about misplaced priorities and the inevitable consequences of a life focused too heavily on the earthly over the eternal. He urges us to stop pretending, leading us to abandon check-list Christianity; the “good enough” mentality so many of us embrace. Instead, we must surrender to following Christ in our motives, speech, and actions. We make the most of our time on earth by acknowledging God as Lord and submitting ourselves to His service and will. Each day, we must make a choice to prioritize the eternal over the temporary.
Why Does This Matter?
So many of us are utterly exhausted because we have sacrificed ourselves on the altar of productivity, people-pleasing, personal success, and Pinterest-worthy lives. Christians have joined the rat race of the American Dream, believing that just because you can, you should. Why shouldn’t you have that latest gadget? Why shouldn’t you spend more money on making yourself look good and others jealous? You deserve it. You earned it. You are worth it. These are the mistruths whispered in our ears, enticing us to the insatiable pursuit of “more.”
But what happens when you finally hit the magic number on the scale? Or you move to the neighborhood? That feeling of joy is fleeting. Once again, we find ourselves dissatisfied, disappointed, and disillusioned.
When we live with the eternal in mind, it informs how we live today. Living in light of eternity frees us from the burden of living an “important” life. There is liberation when we comprehend this is not our final destination. Those of us in Christ will experience eternity in the presence of our Creator. Accepting the gospel’s wonderful gift allows us to live for God’s glory alone, releasing the chains of worldly expectations, people pleasing, and proving our worth.
The Hard Heart Work
It’s easy to say our faith is important, but do our lives show God is a priority? Glancing at our calendars and bank accounts will clearly indicate what we value.
Do you prioritize the eternal over the temporary?
Do you see any trends that suggest you might need to reconsider how you are spending your time and resources?
How does knowing that our lives are meaningless apart from Christ change where you invest your time and finances?
Life is short; invest in the things that have eternal significance.
Prayer Prompt:
Heavenly Father, please help me to live with an eternal perspective. Help me to stay focused on You, choosing the things that bring You honor and glory. Help me fixate on the eternal. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
[1] https://bibleproject.com/podcast/ecclesiastes
