Read today’s texts first: Ecclesiastes 7-9; Ephesians 4
MAXIMize YOUR DAY
The hope of heaven gives us eternal perspective
and unwavering purpose!
My apologies to Rick Warren and his Purpose Driven Life resources, but we can be sure they don’t contain references to Ecclesiastes. Ephesians maybe - in fact definitely! Reading the two books at the same time offers startling, almost laughable, contrasts. Ephesians inspires us with lofty, soaring images of the church ruling in power side-by-side with our conquering hero, Jesus. Ecclesiastes brings us down with the depressing realities of life on this sin-polluted planet. Both are inspired by God, and the contrast is intentional. The two books together help us understand the difference between a purpose-driven and a purposeless “undriven” life, if there is such a word!
Today’s reading in Ecclesiastes includes one of its more encouraging passages (I speak facetiously): Enjoy life with your wife, whom you love, all the days of this meaningless life that God has given you under the sun - all your meaningless days. For this is your lot in life and in your toilsome labor under the sun. Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the grave, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom (9:9,10). I found the perfect Scripture passage to include in my upcoming anniversary card to Jan - not!
Compare the meaninglessness of that passage with the opening verse of our reading in Ephesians: As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received (5:1). Paul, imprisoned in Rome while writing to the church in Ephesus, still finds purpose in his days. No matter what Paul went through - prison, beatings, stonings, you name it - he stayed focused on the assignment Jesus Himself gave him on the road to Damascus.
What is the difference then between the hope level in these two books? I believe it comes down to the difference between a temporal and eternal perspective. Solomon is writing about the futility of this life on earth - period. There is little thought given to rewards beyond what the world can offer. Paul, though, because he had so little to hang on to in this world, was reaching into the future with Jesus and it changes the way we live right now. “Lord, the hope of heaven inspires me to live every day left on planet earth with an eternal perspective and unwavering purpose!”
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