I like driving my cat crazy with my laser pointer. She chases that little red dot across the room and up the wall. I let her get close, then zip it away in a different direction. We love poking fun at her because she simply doesn’t get it…she’ll never catch that little dot. She’s running in circles chasing an illusion. Finally she gets mad and stalks off angry. Not long after I entice her to do the whole pointless exercise again.
I read today in Ecclesiastes 1-3. In 2:11 Solomon says: “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.” Solomon’s like my cat!
This is the cry of one very frustrated guy. He opens his book by saying "Meaningless! Meaningless! Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless." (Ecclesiastes 1:2) When he says everything, believe me, he tried everything. Read chapters 1-3 to see that he dove headfirst into life. Everything he did he put 100% into it, whether it was good or bad.
Here’s a partial list of his endeavors: He achieved the highest level of education and learning, he pursued every form of pleasure imaginable, he abused alcohol, he completed massive personal and public building projects, he became a billionaire (the richest man in the world), he bought a zoo, he had complete political power, and he had unlimited sexual partners. Here’s how he described it: “I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure.” (Ecclesiastes 2:10a) You would think that would be great but in verse 17 he sums it up: “So I hated life”.
What!? He hated life after all that? You see, Solomon had been chasing an illusion. After all of the striving he came to the conclusion that he was going the wrong way: “God has set eternity in the hearts of men.” and “I know that everything God does will endure forever.” (Ecclesiastes 3:11,14) He realized had forsaken eternal things in favor of empty temporal pleasures.
Like my cat, we chase from one thing to another thinking we can grab that illusive prize, only to find it was out of reach or meaningless. What will it take for us to finally stop running and set our hearts on eternity?
Jesus said “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Matthew 6:33) He is saying the key is to change what we pursue.
Are you are frustrated with life, are you are chasing and not catching lasting meaning? None of us will be satisfied until we alter the object of our pursuit. God has set eternity in our hearts, the kingdom. That is the objective, not the elusive goals of this life. If we would narrow our focus to seek Christ’s kingdom Jesus promises to fill in everything else we need in life.
Life is simpler than we make it. The purpose is within reach and easier to grasp than we realize. If we would abandon chasing after the wind, which we will never catch, and take up seeking God’s kingdom, which is available to everyone, how happy and fulfilled we will be!
Here’s the challenge for today. Find one thing to let go of that lacks meaning and reinvest that time and effort into that which is eternal. Pursue the kingdom through getting closer to Jesus and ministering to others. You will be amazed at the difference.
What is your experience in this? Sharing what you’ve learned will help us all.
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