Ecclesiastes 2

Ecclesiastes 2 - A Word to the Wise

Ecclesiastes is one of five books in the Old Testament known as wisdom literature.

These books of the Bible were written by ancient philosophers who focus on revealing

the way God, people, and the world works. Solomon, the author of Ecclesiastes,

is considered the smartest man who’s ever lived. God gifted Solomon with extreme

wisdom, saying “I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never

have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be" (1 Kings 3:12). Ecclesiastes gives us

a look inside the mind of the smartest man to ever live as he searches for the meaning

of life.

Ecclesiastes 2:24-26

A person can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in their own

toil. This too, I see, is from the hand of God, for without him, who can eat or find

enjoyment? To the person who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and

happiness, but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth to

hand it over to the one who pleases God. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the

wind.

Solomon arrives at the conclusion that there is no meaning to life apart from God. It’s

not a call to be pessimistic. It’s a call to shift your perspective. Anything you do for

God’s glory is enjoyable and brings you wisdom, but anything done apart from God is

meaningless.

A word to the wise: You will find your fulfillment in glorifying Christ. God can place

eternal value on mundane moments. Every opportunity you have to experience God

and share His love with others matters. As you go through your day, pay attention to

your conversations. Are your words glorifying God and bringing meaning into your life

and your relationships?

Prayer Prompt: Jesus, help me to wisely pursue opportunities that glorify you. Reveal

more moments in my mundane routine that I can use to glorify you with my work,

words, and actions.