Reflecting
the book of Ecclesiastes, we cannot miss Solomon’s call to celebrate life
realistically. There is no denying that God has given us life so
that we can celebrate it. And as believers, we are glad that Jesus our
Lord not only promised us a life but also that it will be an abundant one.
Regardless of age, one should celebrate the gift of life granted by God, but
one should not forget that life has its dark times. In a real way,
Ecclesiastes 11:7-8, show us that life brings with it both sweet experiences as
well as difficult times. As we progress in life we should enjoy each moment as
it comes, but don’t be derailed by the not so pleasant things that will surely
come.
Solomon
calls the unpleasant experiences of life “the days of darkness”. His exact
words in verses 7-8 are, “Light is sweet, and it is pleasant for the eyes to
see the sun. So, if a person lives many years, let him rejoice in them all; but
let him remember that the days of darkness will be many. All that comes
is vanity.” His admonition to us is to enjoy every moment that we
live, from young to old. But remember as we are doing so, adhere to the call of
Ecclesiastes 11:1-6, to sow and reap and to enjoy God’s divine providence. Do
know that life is not just one long day of sheer joy and utter pleasure. The
reality about life is that we will grow old and weaken, and finally return to
our eternal home.
We
must celebrate life as long and as much as we can. Seize every moment we have
in life but remember that life has its sober moments. To the young: live life
to the fullest. Why? Because ultimately, we have to give an account of all that
we do in life. Verse 9 tells us that threaded into the life that we are given
so freely to live, is a time when we will have to account for everything we do.
One great way to be sure that we are living meaningfully and rightly is to put
the accounting day ever before us. Then remember also that youthful days
don’t last forever. So, make full use of every opportunity before age catches
us and we feel the effect of aging. As we enjoy life, remember that time does
not stand still for us. That’s what living is all about. Don’t take life for
granted. Do justice to each day that we have! But remember the encouragement to
follow one’s heart is not a call to sin but to live a rich and full life. To
celebrate life is not a call to live a life of licentiousness.
In
order to rejoice and celebrate life, there are two things we can do. They are
summed up in two words – remove and remember. In verse 10 we are told to remove
vexation. It says “Remove vexation from your heart, and put
away pain from your body, for youth and the dawn of life are
vanity.” The problems of life may be there but they don’t control us. We
can be proactive people. Therefore, remove vexation - don’t gripe, murmur
or complain. Take away the complaining spirit. We take responsibility for
our decisions in life. People can be vexing and if we allow them to affect us
we can get needlessly angry, vexed, anxious and worried. In this world, there
will be problems and disappointments. Don’t get excessively irritated and
become embittered by them. Deal with them and move on. Don’t get bogged down by
them! Take each day and declare as the Psalmist has so exuberantly
proclaimed in Psalm 118:24, “This is the day that the Lord has
made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.”
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