Why in the World Am i Here

WHY IN THE WORLD AM I HERE?

WWhy do some of us feel so empty? What’s the point

of going on day after day inthe same meaningless way?How can we find satisfactionand significance in therepetitive routines anduncertainties of life?

In the following pages, Our Daily Bread ManagingEditor Kurt De Haan exploresthe ancient but timelesswritings of Ecclesiastes to look for answers to ourdeepest and most troublingquestions. We’ll see that wedon’t need the wealth orintelligence of Solomon to findthe answers we are all here to discover.

Martin R. De Haan II

Managing Editor: David Sper Cover Photo & Design: Terry BidgoodScripture quotations are from the New King James Version, ©1979, 1980, 1982, ThomasNelson, Inc., PublishersCopyright © 1987, 2001 RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, Michigan Printed in USA

CONTENTS

The Search For Meaning . . . . . . . . . 2

Grasping For The Wind . . . . . . . . . . 4

Learning . . . . . . . . . . 5Escaping . . . . . . . . . . 8Working . . . . . . . . . 12Loving . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Finding Life’s Purpose . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Know Who’s In Charge . . . . . . . . 20Follow His Directions . . . . . . . . 25

For The Glory Of God . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Helping You Help Others. . . . . . . . 30

Your Reason For Living . . . . . . . . . . 32

© RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.

THE SEARCHFOR MEANING

YYou don’t have to be suicidal to wonder if

your life is worth living.

You don’t have to bedeep in debt to feelbankrupt.

You don’t have to belocked behind bars to beimprisoned by your owndesires.

You don’t have to bewalking the street to sellyour life to others.

You don’t have to bepromiscuous to bepreoccupied with sex.

You don’t have to beaddicted to drugs to existon an artificial “high.”

You don’t have to be amillionaire to be boughtby the love of money.

You don’t have to beparanoid to run from thedeeper issues of life.

You don’t have to be a

corporate leader to live foryour job.

You don’t have to livenear a landfill to thinkthat life stinks.

You don’t have to bedriving a luxury car tobelieve joy comes frompossessions.

You don’t have to behomeless to feel lost andout of place in the world.

You don’t have to beignorant to misunderstandwhat life is all about.

And you don’t have tobe a genius to discover thereal meaning of life.

So what’s the secret? Ifthe meaning of life is notthe private possession ofthe brilliant scientist or

2

“Most men lead lives of quiet

desperation.”—Henry David Thoreau


the devoted theologian,who can know and howcan the rest of us find out?Why are so many peopleliving with frustration,emptiness, despair,hopelessness, disgust,apathy, or anger?

When they think aboutthe issues, some searchersfind that the answers thatseem to satisfy others are not adequate for them. Another group ofseekers isn’t really all that interested in findinganswers—at least as longas they are finding somepleasure in life. Still others have given up hope of finding relief fortheir inner ache. They’veescaped into an unrealworld of drug- or alcohol-induced numbness to the harsh realities of life.Some, tragically, haveeven taken their own lives.

Who has the answersand why are so manypeople still searching if

they can be found? Thisbooklet will review thesearch of a man who livedalmost 3,000 years ago. Itmay be hard to believe,but the issues that he

wrote about are the samebasic issues that arebothering people today.His observations soundlike someone living in theearly 21st century. Thesearch has not changed,nor have man’s desperateattempts to find answers.

3

If the meaning of life is not the

private possessionof the brilliant

scientist or the devoted

theologian, whocan know and how can the

rest of us find out?


GRASPING FORTHE WIND

IIt’s an exercise in futility—reaching out and trying to catch a

piece of a breeze. Youmay as well be attemptingto tame a tornado orharness a hurricane.Chasing fulfillment in life can seem just asimpossible, especially ifyou’re looking in all thewrong places. Listen tosomeone who learned thehard way.

I . . . was king overIsrael in Jerusalem. AndI set my heart to seekand search out bywisdom concerning all that is done under heaven; thisburdensome task Godhas given to the sons ofman, by which they maybe exercised. I have seenall the works that aredone under the sun; and indeed, all is vanity

and grasping for thewind (Eccl. 1:12-14).To this author, life

“under the sun” appearedto be nothing but vanity,futility, meaninglessness.He struggled to findsignificance in thepleasures and pains ofeveryday existence.

In trying to understandthe book of Ecclesiastes, it helps to know who theauthor is and why hewrote his journal. Henever identified himself by name. But his self-description as “the son ofDavid, king in Jerusalem,”as well as his commentsabout wealth, power,

4

Chasing fulfillmentin life can seem

just as impossibleas taming a

tornado.


wisdom, greatachievements, and many wives, point to King Solomon (see1:1,12,16; 2:4-9; 7:26-29;12:9). If we acceptSolomon as the author,then we see inEcclesiastes glimpses ofthe dramatic story of aking who began his reignwell but then lost sight ofwhat’s most important inlife (1 Ki. 11:1-13). In hislatter years he reviewedhow he had spent hisdays. The conclusions hecame to are both troublingand hopeful.

Our study in thisbooklet will followSolomon’s pattern ofdiscussing the dead-endanswers before revealingthe route to truefulfillment. The futile andunsatisfying reasons forliving that Solomon talkedabout include learning,escaping, working, andloving.

LEARNINGI communed with myheart, saying, “Look, Ihave attained greatness,and have gained morewisdom than all whowere before me inJerusalem. My heart has understood great wisdom andknowledge.” And I setmy heart to knowwisdom and to knowmadness and folly. Iperceived that this also is grasping for thewind (Eccl. 1:16-17).

5

LEARNING

DESPAIR


What did Solomonlearn about learning?In his day, the nameSolomon was synonymouswith wisdom. In 1 Kingswe read that no onebefore him or after himpossessed such wisdom(3:7-12; 10:1-8). He waswiser than all the men ofthe East and Egypt (4:30).He spoke 3,000 proverbsand wrote 1,005 songs(4:32). He knew enough to lecture about trees,animals, birds, creepingthings, and fish (4:33).People came from all

over the world to listen to “Professor” Solomon(10:24).

How did Solomon“wise up”?Solomon found out thateven though he was ableto accumulate vastamounts of knowledge, he still had a huge void inhis life. As he grew older,he tried to fill that ache for something more byseeking answers from the gods of the nationsaround him (1 Ki. 11:1-13). All his knowledge,though, could not fill the emptiness he felt.Solomon eventuallyrecognized that he hadgotten off track.

So I said in my heart,“As it happens to thefool, it also happens tome, and why was I thenmore wise?” Then I saidin my heart, “This alsois vanity.” For there isno more remembrance ofthe wise than of the foolforever, since all thatnow is will be forgottenin the days to come.

6

All Solomon’sknowledge

could not fill the emptiness

he felt.


And how does a wiseman die? As the fool!(Eccl. 2:15-16).Why bother

with an education?Solomon also knew theemptiness of an emptyhead. Ignorance is not avirtue. Solomon never

promoted foolishness orstupidity. In fact, he said:

I saw that wisdomexcels folly as lightexcels darkness. Thewise man’s eyes are inhis head, but the foolwalks in darkness (2:13-14).It is good to gain

knowledge. The more“Solomons” we have in

the world the better. ButSolomon realized that thepursuit of knowledge justfor the sake of knowledgewill leave us empty. Themore we learn, the morewe will realize how littlewe actually know. You willend up in despair if yourhope of fulfillment is tolearn enough facts (1:18).

What is theproper place ofknowledge?A billboard advertisementfor a large researchhospital proclaimed,“Knowledge Heals.”There’s some truth to that.It’s true when researchresults in a cure or theprevention of a disease.But knowledge aboutgenetics, germs, or gastricjuices cannot heal abroken heart. Knowledgeabout thermodynamics,astronomy, geology,neurology, or meteorologycannot provide a purposefor life. Knowledge about

7

The more we learn,

the more we will realize how

little we actually know.


our world can describelife, but it cannot explainthe why of life. It cannotprovide values or morality.

This has become veryapparent in our present-day attempts to alleviateteenage pregnancy andthe spread of sexuallytransmitted diseases.Knowledge alone is notthe answer. What we needare values! Knowledgewithout values is like aship without a rudder.

Solomon advocatedbalance. It’s good to try tobe smart, but we need toremember that filling ourheads with facts won’tsatisfy our heart’s deepestdesires. Knowledge of

life—the physical here-and-now world that wewalk and talk in—doesn’tgive us all the knowledgewe need. We can’t affordto neglect knowledge ofthe crucially importantspiritual dimension of ourlives.

ESCAPINGI said in my heart,“Come now, I will test you with mirth; therefore enjoypleasure”; but surely,this also was vanity. I said of laughter— “Madness!”; and of

8

Knowledge without values is like a ship

without a rudder.

LEARNING

DESPAIR

ESCAPING


mirth, “What does itaccomplish?” I searchedin my heart how togratify my flesh withwine, while guiding myheart with wisdom, andhow to lay hold on folly,till I might see what wasgood for the sons of mento do under heaven allthe days of their lives(Eccl. 2:1-3).Solomon had the means

to pursue just about anypleasure imaginable. Hefollowed the philosophy of the advertising slogan,“You only go around oncein life, so grab all the gustoyou can get.” Solomontried it. He grabbed for allthe pleasures of life. But he never was able to graspwhat he wanted most. Hesaid in 2:1-11 that hisefforts to find purposethrough the enjoyment of food, sex, music, andbeautiful surroundingswere like grasping for the wind.

How can you feel empty with a full stomach?Solomon was aconnoisseur of fine wines(2:3), and the best foodswere available to him (1 Ki. 4:22-23; 10:4-5). But even though he sat at tables loaded withculinary delights, his soul was starving. He said:

All the labor of man isfor his mouth, and yetthe soul is not satisfied(Eccl. 6:7).Why did sex lose

its appeal?Solomon’s quest forpleasure surely wasn’thindered by a lack ofsexual partners. He had 700 wives and 300concubines (1 Ki. 11:3).Linguistic studies havesuggested that the phrase“musical instruments ofall kinds” in Ecclesiastes2:8 would be betterunderstood as referring

9


to a harem, a group ofconcubines. Such atranslation would certainlyfit Solomon’s situation.

Things haven’t changedmuch since Solomon’sday. We are living in asex-obsessed society. ButSolomon learned thatsexual relationshipspromise much more thanthey can fulfill.

Why did musicsound flat?Solomon enjoyed themelodies of great singers(2:8). He didn’t need a CDplayer with earphones tohave music wherever hewent. He could afford to

have a traveling band tofollow him all over thepalace and all over thecountryside. But beautifulmusic didn’t solve the ugly issues of injustice,suffering, or cruelty. Musicdidn’t offer answers ofpurpose; it only offered adiversion, a tranquilizer toget through another day.

Why did thebeauty of thegardens begin to wilt?The king surroundedhimself with beautifulsights. He tried to pleasehis eyes with rows uponrows of flowers, trees, andshrubs.

I made myself gardensand orchards, and Iplanted all kinds of fruittrees in them. I mademyself water pools fromwhich to water thegrowing trees of the grove (2:5-6). But while the gardeners

were tending the plants, 10

Solomon learnedthat sexualrelationships

promise muchmore than they

can fulfill.


Solomon realized that hisinner being was overrunwith the weeds ofconfusion and self-servingpleasures. Something waswrong (2:11). Just asshort-sighted self-interestsled to ruin in the firstgarden (Gen. 1–3),Solomon learned that arejection of spiritualwisdom could destroy the beauty of life.

How do peopletoday try to findpleasure?We haven’t changed verymuch since Solomon’stime. We’re still graspingfor good times and endingup with a fistful ofemptiness. Our society isobsessed with sexualgratification. Some of usare preoccupied withmusic. Many seekfulfillment through foodand drink. Others put alltheir energies into makingtheir home a beautifulplace. Still others pursue

pleasure through drugs,which blind them fromseeing how their lives arebeing destroyed.

Whatever thepleasurable pursuit, theend result is the same—it doesn’t give lastingfulfillment. The thrill, thehigh, the excitement, andthe laughter lack stayingpower.

11

We’re still grasping for good times

and ending up with a fistful of

emptiness.


WORKINGI hated life because the work that was doneunder the sun wasdistressing to me, for allis vanity and graspingfor the wind. Then Ihated all my labor inwhich I had toiled underthe sun, because I mustleave it to the man whowill come after me (Eccl. 2:17-18). Solomon’s feeling of

exasperation with theendless cycle of work issomething we all canidentify with. A mother of

small children may spendhalf her day washingclothes, only to see thechildren spill and smearfood on themselves or“accidentally” fall into theonly mudhole within 300miles. A businessman maywork all day or all weekon a new proposal, only tohave it “shot down” by hissuperiors. Or a man mayspend all day washing andwaxing his car, only tohave a “fender bender”later that same day.

What if you wentthrough your entire lifewith the attitude that allyou ever accomplishedwas worthless,meaningless, empty, and futile? That’s how itcan seem if you’re tryingto make something of your life “under the sun”without God. As Solomonlooked back on his life, herealized that he hademphasized his ownachievements too much.

12

LEARNING

ESCAPING

DESPAIR

WORKING

DESPAIR


What hadSolomon achieved?First Kings 1 through 11 reveals Solomon’s manyaccomplishments. He wasincredibly rich (4:22-28;10:14-29). The borders ofhis kingdom extendedfrom the Euphrates Riverto the edge of Egypt(4:21). He had gained aninternational reputation asan author and a scholar(4:32-33). He built amagnificent temple for theLord (6:1-38), and his ownpalace was a masterpieceof beauty (7:1-12). Evenforeign kings paid taxes tohim (4:21; 10:14-15). Yetwhen he reflected on hisown work and the work ofothers, he said:

What has man for allhis labor, and for thestriving of his heart withwhich he has toiledunder the sun? For all his days aresorrowful, and his workburdensome; even in the

night his heart takes norest. This also is vanity (Eccl. 2:22-23).When do our

possessions own us?Many people today would love to have just afraction of the wealth thatSolomon had. Lotteriesand sweepstakes attract

people who are hoping for the one-in-a-millionchance at the big money.Men and women ontelevision game shows willdo almost anything to winmoney or big prizes. Butas Solomon reminded us:

He who loves silver will not be satisfied withsilver; nor he who lovesabundance, with increase.

13

“He who lovessilver will not be satisfied with silver.”

—Solomon


This also is vanity (5:10; see also vv.15-16).What is the

right attitude toward possessions?Solomon said:

As for every man to whomGod has given riches andwealth, and given himpower to eat of it, toreceive his heritage andrejoice in his labor—thisis the gift of God (5:19).Contentment will

escape the person who isalways desiring more thanwhat he has in his hands.

Solomon also knew thatcontentment would escapethe person who looks only

at what he has in his hands if his heart is empty.

The key to contentment is anunderlying recognition ofthe true source of all thatwe possess, as well as asense of gratitude to theOne who gives us strengthto work and the skills tosucceed.

Why is it futile to work your way to the top?Many individuals spendall their energies climbingthe ladder of success. ButSolomon pointed out thatthe man who rises to thetop doesn’t stay thereforever; he is forgottenwhen someone else takeshis place (Eccl. 4:13-16).Fame, prestige and powerare short-lived and fail tofulfill the heart’s desires.Besides, Solomon knewsomething that we shouldrealize too: Power andfame don’t necessarily

14

Contentment willescape the person

who is alwaysdesiring more

than what he hasin his hands.


come to the mostdeserving (10:5-7).

What, then, is the worth of work?Solomon let us know that work can be a goodthing—if you don’t give ittoo much importance.Solomon reminded us ofGod’s view of work andthe true purpose of life in2:24-25. Verse 24 states:

Nothing is better for a man than that heshould eat and drink,and that his soul shouldenjoy good in his labor.This also, I saw, wasfrom the hand of God.Then, there is

substantial evidence tosuggest that verse 25should read, “For who caneat, or who can haveenjoyment without Him?”As such, it is a clearreference early in the bookof Ecclesiastes to our needof God if we are to findfulfillment in life.

If we get our priorities

“out of whack,” then weare working againstourselves. To try to find

fulfillment without theLord is like trying to playtennis without a racket, orlike trying to play golfwithout any clubs.

15

To try to findfulfillment

without the Lord is like trying

to play tenniswithout a racket,

or like trying to play golf without any

clubs.


LOVINGLive joyfully with thewife whom you love allthe days of your vainlife which He has givenyou under the sun, allyour days of vanity; for that is your portionin life, and in the labor which you perform under the sun (Eccl. 9:9).Although Solomon

promoted marriage, heknew that life’s meaningand purpose were notwrapped up in a humanrelationship. He used the

words vain and vanity in9:9 to emphasize that hisadvice to find joy withone’s spouse is advice thatmay make life moreendurable even though it doesn’t explain life’smeaning. He knew fromhis own experience thatthe companionship ofmarriage wasn’t theanswer to his heart’sgreatest need. Solomontried marriage—700 times!

And he even had anadditional 300 unofficialwives (1 Ki. 11:3). But

16

LEARNINGESCAPING

DESPAIR

WORKING

LOVING

Solomon knewfrom his ownexperience that the

companionship of marriage

wasn’t the answerto his heart’sgreatest need.


Solomon knew that hecould never fill his palacewith enough wives toreplace his need of God.

Solomon also saw thevalue of companionship ingeneral. He noted in 4:8-12 that the person whohas a friend to go throughlife with is better off thanthe loner who lives onlyfor himself. The personwho has a friend hassomeone who enables him to be more productive(v.9), helps in troubledtimes (v.10), makes theharsh times more bearable(v.11), and adds strengthagainst enemy attack(v.12).

Is companionshipenough to live for?Being shipwrecked on adesert island may be morebearable if another personis stuck there with you.But the friendship won’tget you off the island oranswer your questionsabout life back home.

Even though Solomonextolled the virtues ofloving and helping others(see also 11:2), he did sowith the realization thatsimply showing love forothers does not givepurpose to an otherwisepurposeless life. That iswhy throughout hisdiscourse he pointed to theneed for a recognition ofGod’s part in this life andthe life to come (2:24-25;3:13-14,17; 5:1-7; 7:13-18;8:12-17; 11:7-10; 12:1-14).

Many people, though,don’t recognize God’s role in life. They talk as if they have no worry of acoming judgment. They’renot concerned aboutshowing love to God.They believe that theirpurpose for living is tolove people and make this world a better placeto live. They reason that ifall of us are stuck on thisplanet together, we mayas well try to get along

17


and help each other. For example, one studentdescribed his reason forliving by saying, “I try tolive for a general positiveinfluence. I try to be agood person. I’m notliving for God; I’m tryingto live for others.”

What is moreimportant thanloving people?Humanitarian efforts arenoble and commendable.In fact, you can find manyScripture verses thatencourage loving humanrelationships. Jesus said,“Love your neighbor as

yourself.” He emphasizedthe need to love otherswhen he told the great story about thehumanitarian Samaritan(Lk. 10:25-37).

But we have toremember that Jesusencouraged love for one’sneighbor as an evidenceof one’s love for anddevotion to God (Jn.13:34; 15:9-12). Prior tothe story about the GoodSamaritan, He said:

You shall love the Lordyour God with all yourheart, with all your soul,with all your strength,and with all your mind(Lk. 10:27). In another situation,

Jesus said that love forGod was the first andgreatest commandment(Mt. 22:37). Love for ourneighbor is noble, butmay amount to “graspingafter the wind” unless we first love the one true God.

18

Jesus encouragedlove for one’sneighbor as

an evidence ofone’s love for

and devotion toGod.


When can our love have lastingsignificance?In the book ofEcclesiastes, Solomonspoke of the folly anddestructiveness of notloving others (4:8; 7:9;9:18). Even though heencouraged his readers tofind enjoyment in humanrelationships, he pointedto the need to give ourprimary attention to ourrelationship with God(12:13). And in order tostrike home his point,Solomon spoke of thedespair of living only forthis life on a human level.

Without a knowledge ofGod, we would have toconclude that human lifeis no better than animallife (3:18-21; 9:2-4). Wewouldn’t know that thehuman soul lives on andfaces God in a life tocome. Humanitarianefforts would have noeternal value.

The great love chapterof the Bible, 1 Corinthians13, proclaims thegreatness of love. But

this love is possible onlyamong those who knowwhat it means to be lovedby God and to love Him.

Loving others, as goodas it is, falls short of givingthe foundation on whichto build our lives. Weneed a reason to love thatgoes beyond this life, alove that is rooted in thelove of God (1 Jn. 4:7-5:3).

19

Without aknowledge

of God, we wouldhave to concludethat human life is no better than

animal life.


FINDING LIFE’SPURPOSE

SSolomon learned the hard way that he could not live as if

there were no God.Although he hints at thefinal answer at earlierpoints in Ecclesiastes(2:24-25; 3:11-14,17; 5:1-7,18-20; 7:16-18; 8:12;11:8-9; 12:1), his strongeststatement of the purposeof life comes in theconcluding two verses of the very last chapter.

Let us hear theconclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments,for this is man’s all. For God will bring every work intojudgment, includingevery secret thing,whether good or evil (12:13-14).That’s it. Our ultimate

purpose is wrapped up in

our relationship to theGod who made us. If we have thoughts abouttrying to get away withbeing self-serving,Solomon’s words remindus that each of us isheaded for a day ofaccountability before God.

What does it mean to “fear God,” and whatdoes it mean to “keep His commandments”?

KNOW WHO’S IN CHARGEMany people reactnegatively to the idea thatthey should fear God.They believe that God isloving, kind, and gentle(which He is). Theyemphasize that for theperson who has acceptedJesus’ gracious offer offorgiveness, God’s wrathagainst his sin has alreadybeen taken by Christ onhis behalf. So is Solomon’sadvice good only for the

20


unbeliever or for people in Old Testament times?No, because Solomon isspeaking of the need forall men to fear God, andbecause the call to fearGod is emphasized in theNew Testament as well.

What does itmean to fear God?People who haveirrational phobias (fear of heights, small places,crowds, elevators,

telephones, water,darkness, or bugs) oftenseek out psychologicalhelp to overcome theirunnatural and debilitatingfears. The fear of God,though, is not an irrationalemotion. It makes logicalsense when youunderstand the factsabout who God is andwhat He is like.

The biblical concept of the fear of the Lordinvolves a recognition ofthe power, greatness,

authority, and holiness ofGod. It is a healthy fear. It means we respect Him,

21

KNOW GOD

PURPOSE

LEARNINGESCAPINGWORKING

DESPAIR

LOVING

The right kind of fear of the Lord will drive us to Him—

not away fromHim!


shudder at the thought ofHis judgment against oursin, hold Him in awe,reverence Him, recognizeHim as absolute Lord, and honor Him. The rightkind of fear of the Lord,will drive us to Him—notaway from Him!

What are somebiblical examples?Many men and women inScripture are described asthose who feared the Lord.Others were specificallychallenged to fear Him.For example:• Abraham demonstrated

his fear of the Lordwhen he offered Isaacto Him (Gen. 22:12).

• The Egyptian midwiveswho refused to kill themale Hebrew babiesfeared God (Ex. 1:21).

• Job was recognized as an outstandingexample of a personwho feared God (Job 1–2).

• King David encouraged

all believers to fear theLord and enjoy Hisfavor (Ps. 34:7,9-10).

• The virtuous wife ofProverbs 31 waspraised as a womanwho feared the Lord(v.30).

• Some people listening to Jesus were challenged to fear God’s ability to cast them into hell(Lk. 12:5).

• Cornelius was a manwho feared God andreceived the gospelgladly (Acts 10:22-48).

• Paul told thePhilippians to“work out your own salvation with fear andtrembling” (Phil. 2:12).

• Peter encouragedbelievers to live in the fear of the Lord (1 Pet. 1:17) .

• Those who will inhabitheaven will be thosewho fear the Lord (Rev. 19:5).

22


Why does Godwant us to fear Him?As Solomon said, fearingand obeying God is thewhole purpose of life.When we fear, reverence,and honor the Lord, weshow that we recognizeHim for all that He is. Wetherefore stand in theproper relationship to Himas a creature before theCreator. To fear the Lord

means that we take Himseriously and we desire to please Him with all that we do and say. Itdemonstrates that werealize we are accountable

to Him for how we useevery minute of every day.

A fear of God willcause nonbelievers to seekforgiveness of sin throughChrist. And fear of theLord will cause believersto produce the fruits of faith and to becommended on the daythey stand before Christ (2 Cor. 5:9-10; 7:1,11).

How is fearrelated to worship?Fear of the Lord andworship are closelyrelated. In Ecclesiastes 5:1-7, Solomon discussedgoing to the house of God.Verse 2 states:

Do not be rash with yourmouth, and let not yourheart utter anythinghastily before God. For God is in heaven, and you on earth;therefore let your wordsbe few.Then in verse 7

Solomon added:For in the multitude of

23

To fear the Lordmeans that we

take Him seriouslyand we desire toplease Him with all that we do

and say.


dreams and many wordsthere is also vanity. Butfear God.A proper attitude

toward the Lord, therefore,is essential to meaningfulworship of Him.

Does anyone fear God today?In a letter we received atRBC Ministries, onewoman wrote, “What dopeople do who do nottrust in God? I have neverunderstood that. I needHim every hour of everyday. They do too, but whycan’t they know?” Sheunderstands what itmeans to stand in aweand humility before theLord. She recognizes herdependence on Him. Sheis concerned about livingfor Him.

Many of us today,however, don’t have thesame attitude. Somepeople are outrightatheists. Others areoutwardly religious—

at least they go to churchevery week. A vastnumber of men andwomen profess to believe in God but give Him little if anyrecognition throughout the day. Though claimingto believe, they live asunbelievers. That is onereason the Bible is full ofreminders to fear the Lord.

It is easy to forget ourneed of God. It is easy toget wrapped up in ourown ideas of the purposefor living and forget thereal reason God has givenus breath. He wants ourloyalty, our affection, ourcompanionship, ourworship. He wants us tomake the most of our livesso that when we standbefore Him He will beable to say, “Well done,good and faithful servant” (Mt. 25:21).

Thinking It Over.What are you afraid of? Ifyou have the proper fear

24


of God, what will you nothave to fear? (1 Jn. 4:17-21). Why is the fear of theLord the foundation of allwisdom? (Job 28:28; Prov.1:7; 9:10; 15:3).

FOLLOW HISDIRECTIONSWhether you’re going tobake a cake or build askyscraper, your successwill depend on yourability to followinstructions. You wouldn’t expect a cake to be delicious if you usedthe wrong ingredients.And you should notattempt to construct a tall building without anadequate foundation andsturdy materials. So whydo we think we can throwaway God’s directions forlife and still findfulfillment? Too often wethink we know better thanGod what we should do.

Solomon got carriedaway with feelings of his

own importance and thegreatness of his ownwisdom. He forgot thatGod was far smarter thanhe was or ever could be.He deluded himself intothinking that the pleasuresof earthly life were muchbetter than the joys ofliving for God. He fell intothe trap of making short-term investments andignoring the eternal.

But Solomon learned 25

LEARNINGESCAPINGWORKING

DESPAIR

LOVING

PURPOSE

OBEY GOD

KNOW GOD


from his mistakes. He said at the conclusion ofEcclesiastes that the keyto finding meaning in lifeis to “fear God and keepHis commandments”(12:13).

What does itmean to keep Hiscommandments?This means that we obeywhatever God asks us todo. For Old Testamentbelievers like Solomon, that included the TenCommandments as wellas the hundreds of otherlaws concerning private,social, and religious life.For us today, to keepGod’s commandmentsmeans that we obey thetimeless principles of theOld Testament as well asthe New Testamentprinciples for life underthe new covenant of grace (Heb. 8).

Jesus told His disciples,“If you love Me, keep Mycommandments”

(Jn. 14:15). Also, in 1 John we are told, “Thisis the love of God, that wekeep His commandments.And His commandmentsare not burdensome”(5:3). In John 15:9-11,Jesus said that thosebelievers who obey Hiscommands will experiencegreat joy.

What are themost importantcommands?Every word of instructionfrom God is something weshould do, but somecommands are more basicand all-encompassingthan others. For example,to begin to please God, aperson must become oneof His children. All whoturn to God, acknowledgetheir own disobediencebefore Him (Rom. 3:23),recognize that Christ diedfor them (Jn. 3:16), andpersonally accept God’sfree gift (Rom. 6:23) willbe taking the first essential

26


step of obedience to God.When some people askedJesus what they should doto please God, Christ said,“This is the work of God,that you believe in Himwhom He sent” (Jn. 6:29).

Two other commands are cited by Jesus as beingthe most important. Jesussummed up the Law andthe Prophets by sayingthat we are to love Godand we are to love people(Mt. 22:36-40).

What happens ifwe don’t obey?To try to find fulfillmentwhile disobeying God islike trying to start a firewith water. It just won’twork. You can’t swallow adeadly dose of cyanideand expect to survive. You can’t plunge yourbare hand into boilingwater without gettingscalded. And you can’tdisobey God withoutserious consequences.

In the last verse of

Ecclesiastes, Solomonpointed out ouraccountability to the Lord. He said, “God willbring every work intojudgment, including everysecret thing, whether goodor evil” (12:14). No onewill ever get away withany disobedience (3:17; 8:12-13; 11:9).

The person who nevertakes the initial step ofobedience and puts histrust in Christ will faceGod unforgiven andcondemned (Rev. 20:7-15). The believer in Christwill stand before God and give account for his

27

To try to findfulfillment whiledisobeying God is like trying to

start a fire with water. It

just won’t work.


life and be rewardedaccordingly (1 Cor. 3:10-15; 2 Cor. 5:10).

How can ourobedience help asearching world findpurpose in life?In the apostle Paul’s letter to the Philippiansare several clues as tohow we can show theworld that true fulfillmentcomes through knowingand obeying God. Whenwe are able to say, “For tome, to live is Christ, andto die is gain” (1:21), wewill be showing the worldwhat is worth living anddying for. When we are united with otherbelievers, we will showGod’s enemies that theirpurposes will not prevail(1:28). When we look outfor the interests of others(2:4), we will demonstratewhat it means to live aselfless, Christlike life.When we live blamelessly,we will shine like stars in

the middle of a dark world(2:15). When we live forheavenly purposes, wewill contrast those whoare controlled by theirfleshly desires (3:17-21).When we are contentwhether rich or poor(4:11-13), we will showthat we are not looking forsignificance in materialpossessions but in ourspiritual relationship withGod.

Thinking It Over.Why do children disobeytheir parents? Why doadults break the law?Why did the men andwomen of faith mentionedin Hebrews 11 choose toobey God? When do youstruggle with obedience toGod? When does it seemirrational to obey Him?Ask God to show youareas in your life thatneed to be placed underHis lordship.

28


FOR THE GLORYOF GOD

TThe purpose of your life and mine, according to the

Westminster ShorterCatechism of Faith, is to“glorify God and enjoyHim forever.” Thatstatement is founded onmany verses in the Biblethat encourage us to liveso as to bring attention tothe greatness of our Lord.To glorify the Lord meansto honor Him, to worshipHim, to give Him thepraise He deserves. Here are a few of themany verses that speak ofgiving glory to the Lord.• “Give to the Lord, O

families of the peoples,give to the Lord gloryand strength. Give to the Lord the glorydue His name” (1 Chr. 16:28-29).

• “By this My Father isglorified, that you bear

much fruit; so you will be My disciples”(Jn. 15:8).

• “Now may the God of patience and comfort grant you to belike-minded toward oneanother, according toChrist Jesus, that youmay with one mind andone mouth glorify theGod and Father of ourLord Jesus Christ” (Rom. 15:5-6).

• “You were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in yourbody and in your spirit, which are God’s” (1 Cor. 6:20).

• “Whether you eat ordrink, or whatever youdo, do all to the gloryof God” (1 Cor. 10:31).

• “To Him be glory in thechurch by Christ Jesusto all generations,forever and ever.Amen” (Eph. 3:21).

29


HELPING YOUHELP OTHERS

TThe followingquestions arelisted here for you

to use in teaching ordiscipling others. Wesuggest that thesequestions be discussedprior to studying thespecific point—as previewquestions.

GRASPING FOR THE WIND

Learning1. Why was Solomon in

a good position to talkabout education? (1 Ki. 3:7-12; 10:1-13).

2. What did Solomon sayabout the limitations of knowledge? (Eccl. 1:16-17; 2:15-16).

3. What did Solomon sayabout the advantages of knowledge? (Eccl. 2:13-14).

4. What is the mostimportant knowledge?(Jer. 9:23-24).

Escaping1. What seven pleasures

did Solomon explore?(Eccl. 2:1-11)

2. What did Solomonlearn about each one ofthese pleasures?

3. What was Moses’attitude toward suchpleasures? (Heb. 11:24-26).

Working1. What were Solomon’s

accomplishments? (1 Ki. 4:20-34;6:1–7:12).

2. What was Solomon’sconclusion about allthat he had done?(Eccl. 2:17-18).

3. What gives work lasting significance?(Eccl. 5:19; 12:13-14;Phil. 4:11-13).

30


Loving1. What are the

benefits of humancompanionship? (Eccl. 4:9-12).

2. Why can’t a lovingspouse take the vanityout of life? (Eccl. 9:9).

3. What is more importantthan showing love topeople? (Lk. 10:27).

FINDING LIFE’SPURPOSE

Know Who’s InCharge1. How should our

accountability to God affect our lives?(Eccl. 11:9; 12:13-14).

2. What does it mean to fear the Lord?(12:13-14).

3. Does the fear of theLord drive us to Him or away from Him?(Prov. 8:13).

4. What wrong fears willthe right fear get rid of?(1 Jn. 4:17-21).

Follow HisDirections1. What did Solomon

find to be the key to a meaningful life?(Eccl. 12:13-14).

2. What does it mean today to keep God’scommandments? (Jn. 14:15).

3. What commands arethe most important?(Mt. 22:36-40).

4. How can yourobedience to God help others? (Phil. 1:10-11,21; 2:15).

31


YOUR REASON FOR LIVING

EExcuse me, but your purpose is showing. That’s right. The way

you live reveals your realreason for living. Actions dospeak louder than words.

Test yourself. Look at thefollowing list of goals for lifethat we have discussed inthis booklet. Take a look atyour life and evaluate whereyour energies are beingspent. Are you trying to:

❏ Get smart? ❏ Have fun? ❏ Work hard? ❏ Love people? ❏ Please God?Do your responses to the

following questions supportyour answer above? • How do you spend time? • Do you know God’s Word

so you know how toobey?

• Can you honestly saythat you are living in fullobedience to the Lord?

If not, why not? • Do you enjoy life? • What are your greatest

frustrations in life? • To what are you looking

for satisfaction? • What are you doing that

has eternal benefits? If these questions

make you uncomfortable,maybe you need to see, asSolomon did, the waste ofliving for anything less thanGod’s intended purpose.

If you’ve never taken thefirst crucial step of trustingChrist to rescue you fromGod’s judgment againstdisobedience, accept Hisoffer of forgiveness rightnow. He will forgive, and Hewill give you new purposeand power for living (Jn.3:16; Rom. 5–8). Ask Him tohelp you to make the mostof the new life He’s given toyou. Jesus said, “I havecome that they may havelife, and that they may have it more abundantly”(Jn. 10:10).

32


www.discoveryseries.org/catalog

USA: PO Box 2222, Grand Rapids, MI 49501-2222Canada: Box 1622, Windsor, ON N9A 6Z7

Get your free BibleResources catalog!

Discovery Series booklets can be valuable guides to help you learn what the Bible says about abroad range of topics.Each 32-page bookletcan be used in yourpersonal Bible study or in a small-group setting.

Your free BibleResources catalogincludes a brief

description of each Discovery Series booklet.To get your copy, write to us at the address belowand ask for a catalog. Or follow the link below torequest your copy today.

www.discoveryseries.org/catalog

Documents

Why in the World Am i Here