Hearing The Message Of Ecclesiastes--Ecclesiastes 11:9-10
Day 22
Along with all the other see-saw wisdom in Ecclesiastes (life is all vanity–wait, no enjoy life to the fullest), there are the final two verses of Chapter 11 which Solomon/Qoheleth urges the young to REJOICE (and I suppose if you are older, like me, REJOICE like a younger man).
But like one of those corny public service announcements all television stations air to show the Feds that they are operating in the public’s interest, Solomon/Qoheleth warns–REJOICE responsibly.
Ecclesiastes 11:9-10 9 Rejoice, young man, during your childhood, and let your heart be pleasant during the days of young manhood. And follow the impulses of your heart and the desires of your eyes. Yet know that God will bring you to judgment for all these things. 10 So remove sorrow from your heart and keep pain away from your body, because childhood and the prime of life are fleeting.
Age is just a number, right?
And what’s the other one? You are only as old as you feel?
Hah!
I feel like I’m a perpetual teenager at heart, floating around giddy and happy, learning new things, discovering Jesus day-by-day, loving life, but sometimes my aches and pains, collected over time (knee replacement!) hurl me back to the ground.
And I just feel old. Miserable. Like I can feel the end coming sooner than later.
Who needs to be contemplating the existential questions of purpose and meaning of one’s life, and the inevitably of death when there is a beach to walk, golf to be played, and a wife to love?
Find happiness in the present, Solomon/Qoheleth urges, but be mindful of the long-term implications of my actions.
Christopher J.H. Wright adds in Hearing the Message of Ecclesiastes: Questioning Faith in a Baffling World:
“Don’t give in to pessimism and anxiety…In the end, youth and strength are enigmatic in themselves. In the sense that they are transient and sometimes regretted in later life. But while you are young, enjoy all the blessings youth brings and the opportunities it gives…In all of this enjoyment of life, know that you are accountable to God. God’s judgment lies ahead. Be prepared.”
There will always be a tension between the temporal and the eternal.
A friend reminds Karen and I to continue to seek balance through the uncertainty of what’s ahead:
“I have been praying and talking to the universe all along for you and Karen. Her GIST showed its ugly face right before my merry go round began. AGAIN is certainly not fair at all. Especially when you have both loved and lost already. Like isn’t once already too much?!? I will continue to keep you both close to my heart. And continue to pray that it’s fixable as painlessly as possible. And that your joy/worry balance stays equal so that you can continue to enjoy each beautiful day with each other. I’ve been over the moon excited for you that you two found each other and I will continue rooting for you from Savannah. Thanks for being a friend. Your love and support over the past 23ish years has meant so much to me. And I thank you for your prayers.”
Her merry-go-round came to a stop the other day when her biopsy results came back benign. She can step off the Worry-Go-Round and head to the next ride on the playground.
Robert McCabe writes in The Message Of Ecclesiastes:
“Qohelet’s point in 11:9–10 is that young men should not get caught up in attempting to master life with its vexation; rather, they should make the most of their youth. Since man is limited in his ability to master life, he should refrain from this quest.”
That in itself seems contradictory to me. The entire book of Ecclesiastes is Solomon/Qoheleth’s quest to master life–and failing to do so.
Jason Derouchie expands on how to apply verses 9-10 in Finding Joy Amidst Life’s Enigmas:
“When we remember the Giver, we turn our delights of sloppy joes, Dr. Pepper, houses, cars, and teaching positions into praise. Sipping a hot chocolate on a crisp morning, taking a walk at the park during the peak of fall colors, receiving a promotion with pay increase at work — all these are gifts from God, and we should savor them and celebrate them to the praise of the Giver. We now can expand our definition and say that to rejoice is to find God-given, heartfelt pleasure in God and his gifts amidst both prosperity and adversity.”
Choose joy. My sister is coming up today from Daytona Beach for Mother’s Day weekend and I know there will be lots of laughter and sloppy joes (as Derouchie puts it) this weekend.
We will cast away our cares as best we can and tamp down the sorrow from the vicissitudes of life from our hearts.
We will enjoy ourselves and each other and celebrate our Mom and the blessings of our lives through her.
And most importantly through God’s grace.
So we will REJOICE and let our hearts be pleasant!
Lord, help us cherish the moments of joy and beauty that You have bestowed on us. Help us to follow the desires of our hearts, guided by the Holy Spirit and aligned with Your will.
Lord, banish anxiety from our hearts and guide us to live our lives in a manner that brings honor and glory to Your name.
Amen.