Time

“For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:” ~ Ecclesiastes 3:1

Man often struggles with big questions. Questions about the origins of life, the nature of man, purpose, and direction. The Book of Ecclesiastes is an exploration of some of these questions. It is an honest examination of a man’s search for purpose and direction in life. Written by King Solomon, Ecclesiastes searches the offerings of the world to see if man can be satisfied with the material things of the world. Solomon throws himself into all that life has to offer. Material pursuits such as the accumulation of wealth, physical pleasure, and the consolidation of power and influence. Solomon explores the material life to see if he can find a sure purpose or direction, but he comes up short. Solomon declares that living only to satisfy the physical body is vanity. A meaningless existence. Time wasted. A dead end to purpose, morality, and fulfillment. But Solomon knows there is another option. The son of David knows that there is a God.

As Solomon gives himself to journeying with God, a different set of thoughts comes to the forefront. Wisdom, knowledge, and duty are studied. These things begin to bring fulfillment. Solomon explores life and comes to the conclusion that the duty of man is to fear God and keep His commandments. (Ecclesiastes 12:14)

Solomon is a strange figure in history. A man who starts his life walking and talking with God. A man who gives himself wholly to the world. A man with a heart that is often torn between the spiritual part of who he is and the physical life that he leads. While we do not know Solomon’s final decisions, we can see that Solomon’s time on earth teaches us some great lessons. There is a time for everything. A time to care for and enjoy the physical life, while still walking with God. How we invest our time on earth can have great meaning when we spend our time seeking a relationship with God.