Ecclesiastes 9:7-10 - Maximize living

Life in this fallen world has enough to cause us endless anxiety. In Solomon’s words, it is vanity and striving after the wind. Here are two quotes I found on the internet worth our application in life. The first says, “Life is a small gap between birth and death. In this small gap be happy, and try and make others happy. Enjoy every moment of life.” The second says, “Life is short, live it. Love is rare, grab it. Anger is bad, let go of it. Fear is mind-killer, face it. Memories are sweet, cherish them.” Like Ecclesiastes 9:7-10, both these quotations urge us to make the most of our time we have on earth.

In calling us to make the most of life, Solomon was not being cynical or sarcastic as some supposed. He is just talking about the reality of life. Look at it this way, life does not only present itself in a long stretch of misery and despair. There are many winding paths and certainly full of complexities. With those despairing moments and complexities, life also presents itself to us in many pleasurable moments. Bear in mind that life is not just a long stretch of smooth, obstacle-free road. There is a poem by Annie Johnson Flint that tells of the reality of life for us believers. It says:

God hath not promised skies always blue,

Flower-strewn pathway all our lives through.

God hath not promised sun without rain,

Joy without sorrow, peace without pain.

But God hath promised strength for the day,

Rest for the labor, light for the way,

Grace for the trials, help from above,

Unfailing sympathy, undying love.

One other reason why we should live life to the fullest in pleasure is that God is at the center of it all. Remember Solomon tells us earlier to see the length of our days on earth as a gift from God. This being the case, we need to maximize the gift of life. And enjoy each moment God has granted us. This is precisely what he is saying in verse 7. “Go, eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a merry heart, for God has already approved what you do.” Activities such as eating and drinking are describing healthy habits, not unhealthy indulgences. We must not overstretch the interpretation of this verse and entertain a licentious or promiscuous life. But know that God wants us to be joyful and Proverbs tells us that “A joyful heart is a good medicine.”

To enjoy life and live with contentment there are things we can incorporate to make life enjoyable. The call to eat with joy is a call to find contentment in these simple activities. Verse 8 even encourages us to be properly adorned. The call not to lack oil on the head is to wear a dash of perfume. In verse 9, we are told to find joy with our companion in life. One’s wife is given to us by God to share companionship. We should cherish and treasure every moment we have and make the most of our relationship. Our husband or wife is a God-given gift so let’s treasure our spouse and enjoy the relationship. Finally, verse 10 is a call to enjoy our career. Make the most of our work. We are to come to our work wholeheartedly and committedly. We are to give the best to our work while we are alive. Remember to maximize life – learn to live with contentment, relate lovingly with your God-given spouse, remember he or she is your life-long companion, and work diligently in your career and do it with commitment. Then there will be joy in every area of your life.