Best We Can Do - Just Eat and Drink?

By Pastor Alfred Massaquoi

Ecclesiastes 2:1-26

Introduction

King Solomon in his quest for happiness took to pleasure and enjoyed himself, but soon realised too much entertainment is useless, that pleasure or enjoyment does one no good.

In other words, Solomon regretted that in his desire for wisdom, he cheered himself up with wine, and had a good time believing it is the best way possible people spend their short miserable lives on earth.

Solomon Success and Prosperity

In his continued pursuits of happiness (what others otherwise called success and prosperity) King Solomon built houses and planted vineyards, gardens and orchards with a variety of fruit trees in them.

He dug ponds to irrigate the plants, and had a large body of slaves, even slaves born in his household – to domestic for him. 

His livestock, gold and silver, men and women entertainers, lust for women, made him the greatest man who had ever lived in his times; because he had wisdom, therefore, anything he wanted, he got.

Solomon did not deny himself of glory, for he rewarded himself with anything he wanted in life, and was proud of anything he worked for – but he said they didn’t mean a thing, when he considered how hard he had acquired them.

“It’s like chasing the wind,” he puts bluntly – yes, useless – because he could not do anything more than what other kings had done before him.

Life – A Sorrow Despite Hard Work

He compared wisdom to that of light from darkness as wisdom is better than foolishness or recklessness, while wise men know their paths, he said, fools don’t. 

However, we gain nothing from being wise, because what happens to fools certainly happens to someone wise – practically, us all – because no one remembers wisemen when they die, much less fools. So, life is meaningless, because life has brought nothing good, but sorrow to humankind. This again is useless and wind chasing!

It’s useless we work hard and acquire many things, because when we shall have died, our sons and daughters, if we do have one, shall spend our money left behind either wisely or foolishly. Thus, the things you acquired with all your might, knowledge and skills all of a sudden are left with someone who hasn’t had to work for it.

Today, we work very hard and worry our way through life with pains and headaches, and at night, our minds don’t rest. It’s all useless. 

It comes from God if we eat and drink and enjoy life in that God gives wisdom, happiness and knowledge to those who please Him, while He makes sinners – pay, or work, earning and saving, so that what sinners acquire can be given to people who please Him.

What do we Learn?

We learned that too much eating, drinking and getting drunk, that pleasure, enjoyment or entertainment or good time, is short lived, in as much as success and prosperity are not much better.

The question is that with whom do you leave all these things you worked so hard to acquire? What do you have to show for it? Perhaps, your foolish son or daughter, wise or cleaver might not have known the value of how hard you acquired your riches, and as it is said in olden days – “The fool and his money soon part.” Come to think of it, how true this is – it’s a chase after the wind!

Why work up yourself – in worries, pain and headaches, when you’re supposed to be sound asleep in the night having thanked God for the day.

Remember, happiness, knowledge and wisdom are God’s gift, thus, if God wants you happy, He’ll provide the food and drink superabundantly plus a long healthy life – tired and satisfied with life and all that God has given you.

Also, remember that sinners who chase after money and material things, evidently, chase after the wind, because God is capable of taking from them their hard earnings and savings to give to those who are faithful to Him.

The Main Point

Be mindful with your life and what you do with it, because the consequence is death; hence, no one forces happiness from God. 

He gives it and does not bless you because you’ve done a great deal pleasing him – it is by His grace we live – it is by His grace we die also, because some deaths are necessary – like euthanasia – some people in most countries want to die, but government law denies then taking their own lives (mercy killing or assisted suicide) – These people face terrible suffering from an incurable and painful disease or in an irreversible coma – thus, they lack peace of mind. Perhaps, God didn’t allow them happiness, that’s why they prefer to die.

How about you – are you fine – is all well with you? At least, you enjoy some measure of health, don’t you?Then pray you don’t mess up! Pray you don’t follow the glamour of this world for “Not all that glitters is gold.”

 God who made us didn’t reveal the future to us as to what might become of us – it is by His grace should we die or should we live.Therefore, enjoy yourself by doing things that glorify God – things that bring Him honor.

Conclusion

Since life is precious – fear God and don’t strive to take anyone’s life away, no matter how wrong the person has erred you, for God will hold you to account with your own life for the soul whose blood you spilled. So, the live you save today shall be your own life tomorrow.