What is life?
“I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure. My heart took delight in all my work, and this was the reward for all my labor.
Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun.”
Ecclesiastes 2:10,11.
The other day while going through some boxes my son left when he moved out I found a corduroy winter coat that had been my fathers.
My father died ten years ago. My son had liked the coat so he kept it. I called him up and asked him about it. He said he and his new wife didn’t have a lot of room so he had left it and thought I might want it. Something to remember my father by.
It got me to thinking and looking around my house. There were quite a few things lying around that had been my fathers, a couple of over stuffed, very comfortable arm chairs as well as a large hutch or cabinet.
When dad had died my siblings and I had got together and divided his things between us. Dad had particularly said he wanted me to have the hutch.
It’s large to say the least seven feet high, six feet long and three or so wide. It dominates my livingroom. At the same time it holds what is important to my wife and I, pictures of our children and parents. Things brought back by our younger son from his travels around the world. A few things from my older son who’s just got married, as well as a family Bible that was once my mother in laws, two shofar’s, a big one and a small one. A nativity scene given to us by my wife’s late sister. Our graduation diploma’s from Bible school and numerous assorted letters of thanks from people who have enjoyed my clown act over the years.
None of these things are worth more than a few dollars but to us they are priceless. Still I got to thinking. What is life.
I look at the things my parents left behind take away the furniture and everything they left could fit in a large trunk.
Is that all life is? Some furniture, perhaps a house and a trunk of odds and ends.
I think not. We are much more than the things we collect in this life.
While the writer of Ecclesiastes says these words.
“I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure. My heart took delight in all my work, and this was the reward for all my labor.
Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun.”
Ecclesiastes 2:10,11.
He comes to the right conclusion saying,
“Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.
For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.”
Ecclesiastes12:13,14.
There is a poignant piece written by Ben Zion Bosker called the Rose talked back it goes like this,
The man sweeping the synagogue paused for a moment. He looked at the flowers lying about in disorder, ‘What waste!’ He said too himself. Those roses had adorned the pulpit at a wedding an hour before. Now all was over and they were waiting to be discarded.
The attendant leaning on his sweeper was lost in thought when suddenly he heard a strange sound. One of the roses replied to him.
‘Do you call this a waste?” the flower protested, ‘What is life anyway, yours or mine, but a means of service? My mission was to create some fragrance and beauty, and when I have fulfilled it my life has not been wasted. And what greater privilege is there than to adorn a bride’s way to her beloved, what greater privilege than to help glorify the moment when a bride and groom seal their faith in each other by entering the covenant of marriage?’
Our little flower paused for a moment too watch the man’s face, and then continued her discourse.
‘Roses are like people. They live in deeds, not in time. My glory was but for a brief hour, but you should have seen the joy in the bride’s eye. I like to believe that I had something to do with it, by creating a suitable setting for the moment of her supreme happiness. So don’t grieve for me. My life has been worthwhile.
Having spoken her little piece, the rose was once more silent. The attendant, startled from his reverie and a little wiser, pushed the sweeper again and continued with his work.
Ben Zion Bokser
We each have I believe a purpose in life. We are not the sum total of the shiny metal, precious stones and a few odds and ends. We are much more than that.
God has more for us than just acquiring things or simply existing doing nothing with our lives.
God first and foremost wants to have a personal relationship with each one of us. Jesus said,
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
Matthew 11:28-30.
We, every day of our lives, whether we realize it or not stand on the precipice that overlooks eternity. One day whether we want to or not we will make that final step into and eternity that will place us before the thrown of God.
At that point he will not ask do you believe in me for you will not be able to deny it. He will however I believe look at what Christians call the lambs book of life and see if your name is written in it.
Will yours be written in that book?
Tony Campolo the American evangelist said,
“When you were born, you cried and everybody else was happy. The only question that matters is this - when you die, will you be happy when everybody else is crying?”
Tony Campolo
Think about it...
