Category: Ecclesiastes

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Better Than (Ecclesiastes 4:1–16)

georgepwood

Ecclesiastes 3:22 declares, “there is nothing better than that a man should rejoice in his work, for that is his lot.”[1] We Americans bristle at the notion that we have been assigned some lot in life with which we must simply make do. If we do not like our current situation, we change it. Ours is a country of self-made men and women. And yet, there are some things that no amount of self-making can undo, such as the facts that everything under the sun eventually goes “Poof!” and that we all die. Admittedly, neither life’s ephemerality nor our personal … Continue reading Better Than (Ecclesiastes 4:1–16)

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Using the Time God Has Given (Ecclesiastes 3:16–22)

georgepwood

If God is all-knowing, all-powerful, and all-good, then why is the world wracked by so much evil? Surely God knows what is going on down here. Certainly he has the power to change it. And we can be absolutely certain that he desires to do so. That being the case, why do we experience so much suffering and pain? Ecclesiastes 3.16–22 asks and answers this question, but its conclusions are surprising.[1] The Preacher opens with a simple observation: “I saw under the sun that in the place of justice, even there was wickedness, and in the place of righteousness, even … Continue reading Using the Time God Has Given (Ecclesiastes 3:16–22)

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What Do We Get from Our Toil? (Ecclesiastes 3:9–15)

georgepwood

What gain has the worker from his toil? Every Monday morning, millions of Americans ask themselves that very question as they once again start their workweek. It is a legitimate question. Day after day, week after week, month after month, year after year, what do we really gain by working hard? A paycheck, a sense of satisfaction at a job well done, a measure of self-esteem, slight changes in the way the world works? These are all good things, but they are not permanent things. They are hebel, “vanity,” things that go “Poof!” At the end of their lives, most … Continue reading What Do We Get from Our Toil? (Ecclesiastes 3:9–15)

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Knowing How to Act, and When (Ecclesiastes 3:1–8)

georgepwood

Psalm 90:12[1] says, “Teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.” Acting on the psalmist’s advice, I have done the math, and it turns out that today—January 7, 2015—I am 16,680 days old. (You can calculate your age in days here.) I entered the world on May 8, 1969, in Springfield, Missouri, 73 shorts days before Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin made history by walking on the moon. I have lived in part or the whole of six decades; seen my nation engage in three major wars and eleven presidential elections, which of late … Continue reading Knowing How to Act, and When (Ecclesiastes 3:1–8)

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Toiling Under the Sun (Ecclesiastes 2:18–26)

georgepwood

Today, I would like you to reflect with the Preacher and me for a few moments on the topic of work. Our text is Ecclesiastes 2:18–26.[1] What we do for a living is very important to us. For many people, work is central to their identity. It is so central, in fact, that one of the first questions we ask people when we meet them is, “What do you do?”—as if this tells us more about them than their family, education, hobbies, or driving passions in life. In traditional societies, what mattered most was whom you were related to. Did … Continue reading Toiling Under the Sun (Ecclesiastes 2:18–26)

Ecclesiastes, The Daily Word1 Comment

In the Long-Term Long Run (Ecclesiastes 2:12–17)

georgepwood

There are moments in reading Ecclesiastes when I would like to wring the Preacher’s neck, such as when I read today’s passage (2:12–17).[1] Here is a man who has just confessed to having everything most men want: pleasure, wealth, achievement, fame, and women. And yet, he is still not satisfied. He mopes about with a long face, wearily proclaiming, “All is vanity and a striving after wind.” “Come on, Preacher,” I want to scream; “get over it already!” After all, it seems to me, life—while not perfect—can be pretty good. Think before you act, do the right thing, treat others … Continue reading In the Long-Term Long Run (Ecclesiastes 2:12–17)

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Vanity at Fashion Island (Ecclesiastes 2:1–11)

georgepwood

When I’m on vacation in California, I like to while away the hours at Fashion Island in Newport Beach. Not because of the fashion, mind you; I cannot afford the clothes most of the stores sell. No, I like to grab a Venti Chai Latte from Starbucks followed by book browsing at Barnes and Noble and lunch at La Salsa, capped off with a movie at the Big Edwards, which advertises itself “the largest screen west of the Mississippi.” If I am able to do all that when I visit California, I consider the trip to be a huge success. … Continue reading Vanity at Fashion Island (Ecclesiastes 2:1–11)

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Toward a Solution From Beyond the Heavens (Ecclesiastes 1:12–18)

georgepwood

I studied philosophy in college. Whenever people asked me why I had chosen that discipline as my major field of study, I replied with three words: “To think clearly.” Thinking clearly, it seemed to me, was an obviously good activity. After all, what was the alternative? Muddy thinking? Fuzzy logic? Of course not! But thinking clearly was not an end in itself; rather, it was a means to another end, namely, living well. Philosophy, you see, is literally “the love of wisdom,” and wisdom is a practical science, a morally serious thoughtfulness that guides a person’s thoughts, feelings, and actions. … Continue reading Toward a Solution From Beyond the Heavens (Ecclesiastes 1:12–18)

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Poof! Poof! Everything Goes Poof. (Ecclesiastes 1:2–11)

georgepwood

One of Ronald Reagan’s favorite jokes concerned twin boys, one an incurable pessimist and the other an indefatigable optimist. Trying to determine the cause of their respective outlooks on life, a psychologist placed the pessimistic boy in a room full of toys and the optimistic boy in a room filled with horse manure. True to form, the pessimistic boy began to whine because his favorite toy was not among the toys in the room. The optimistic boy, on the other hand, climbed atop the manure pile and began to burrow furiously in the mound. “With all this poop,” he exclaimed, … Continue reading Poof! Poof! Everything Goes Poof. (Ecclesiastes 1:2–11)

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Vanity of Vanities (Ecclesiastes 1:1–2)

georgepwood

If you were a highly successful individual, what advice would you give others to help them achieve the good life? Walk the aisles of your local bookstore, scan its shelves, and you will discover book after book offering answers to that question. They reveal the seven habits of highly effective people, how to win friends and influence people, the secrets of finding the love you want and keeping the love you find, not to mention how to think and grow rich. Each one is written by an effective, friendly author who has been lucky in love. And if the author … Continue reading Vanity of Vanities (Ecclesiastes 1:1–2)