“I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure. My heart took delight in all my labor, and this was the reward for all my toil. 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 NIV
Solomon, the wisest man (apart from Jesus Christ) wrote this Scripture. It is believed that Solomon wrote the Song of Solomon in his early years, Proverbs in his mid years, and Ecclesiastes in his aging, elder years. This man had parts of his life that were lived according to his internal, fleshly desires. He was the man everyone deemed as “having it all”. The women, the wealth, the applause of men, the connections, the accolades... He had everything one could possibly desire on this earth; and yet, he was empty.
The man who had everything in this life revealed to us that chasing after the riches and success of this life is “chasing after the wind.” Why is this the case? It is because the satisfaction these pleasures bring is swift and momentary. Think about it: Do you really care who the “cool kid” was in high school? Are you continuing to talk about the last World Cup or who won last year’s NBA Finals? Are you as excited as you first were when you got your newest car? No. Why? Because the feelings of the flesh are temporary; they don’t satisfy! If they did, one supercar would be enough. One big house would be enough. One spouse would be enough. Instead, we can see from the culture of Hollywood, that the things of this world do not satisfy.
There is only One Person that satisfies, and His name is Jesus Christ. There is no greater name where one can be delivered from sin and experience supernatural joy and peace. You don’t have to work for it; you don’t have to work yourself up into some psychotic, spiritual phenomena; it’s simply Who He is and what He has done that makes all the difference.
Sadly, however, the world tries to entrap and enslave us into the falsified fulfillments of the desires of the flesh. We as Christians should not be of the world, but outside it. “Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:2-3 ESV). Brother and sister of Christ, our life is hid with Jesus. We are now a new creature. The old has passed, the new has come. It’s time to arise and walk in the righteous path.
May our eyes gaze upon His majesty. May we begin to walk in the light of Christ. May the Creator of Heaven and Earth draw our minds and hearts to meditate, focus and look upon eternity. For this is the life worth living. This is the life that does not chase after the wind, but chases after our Rock and Redeemer: The Lord Jesus Christ.
May “the God of all grace, Who has called you to His eternal glory in Christ”, may He “Himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. To Him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen” (1 Peter 5:10-11 ESV).
Lance VanTine