Articles
A Life Well Lived
Loosing loved ones never is never easy. Carnal wisdom teaches us that death is part of the circle of life; however, wisdom that is from above reminds us that death is our enemy, and is in the world because of sin. It never gets easier to deal with. Whenever we lose a loved one, we find ourselves face to face with a harsh reality: death comes to all. In light of this, we seek wisdom. There is perhaps no more helpful source of wisdom regarding the difficult realities of life than the book of Ecclesiastes. In his treatise on life, Solomon has much to say about our end purpose, “Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man’s all” (12:14). While this is the overarching principle which governs our life, there are some things the preacher teaches us in chapter 9 that will help us to live life well — right now.
Live. As Christians, we often feel as though life cannot be truly experienced and enjoyed. This feeling stems from a misunderstanding of our liberties in Christ and focuses on restrictions. Consider what Solomon teaches: “Go, eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a merry heart, for God has already approved what you do” (Eccl. 9:7). God does in fact want us to enjoy life! We should experience life with joy and a merry heart. Call your loved ones. Go out with friends. Christians especially ought to find great joy in sharing our lives with our brethren.
Laugh. “Let your garments be always white. Let not oil be lacking on your head” (Eccl. 9:8). Wearing white has long been associated with celebration and happy occasions. Pouring oil on your head would be similar to us putting on perfume or cologne. Solomon teaches here that since death comes to all, we need to be treating everyday as a joyous occasion. Take the time to laugh at life. Some would say, “What do I have to rejoice about? I could die any time.” Exactly! That’s a great reason to let every waking moment be a celebration of God’s gift of life. Don’t go around with a black cloak covering your heart, but instead find the joy and life and laugh! Life is too short not to.
Love. It seems ironic to listen to Solomon’s advice on love, but after all the women, he speaks now in the singular. “Enjoy life with the wife whom you love, all the days of your fleeting life” (Eccl. 9:9). He is saying that in order to make the most of life while you are alive, enjoy life with your love every single day. Be thankful for the spouse of your youth and show that appreciation always. Listen, talk, and spend time with the one who holds your heart. God created marriage so man and woman could share their lives. Don’t waste time, we won’t live forever.
Labor. It has been said that a man of fifty, having worked since school, will have put in 56,000 hours of work. Imagine 56,000 hours of boredom and resentment towards your job. What effect will that have on your mind and your soul? Solomon tells us that part of living life to the fullest is labor and work. Our attitude towards not only our jobs, but all work, has a huge impact on our lives. “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might, for there is no work or thought or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol, to which you are going” (Eccl. 9:10). Why work? Because once we die, there is no more. Make the most of today. Work — and find joy in it!
At the end of your life, will people say you had a life well lived? God has granted us life, and he means for us to live it! It all begins with our attitudes towards God. Consider these things, and may God bless you with many more days to serve him!
