Fear is the Start

Ecclesiastes 1:2-3 “Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher; “Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.”
3 What profit has a man from all his labor In which he toils under the sun?

A mind wanders at the depth of a statement such as this, written by the wisest man gifted by God to ever live; most scholars agree that Solomon wrote this book. The depth and interpretation of the word “vanity” is complex they agree, and comparing translations reveals that. I love the poetic interpretation most used above, disliking as a personal opinion some of the others. They all struggle with those six words of life’s meaning; rolling into the next verse with the description of our time spent here doing what? A reflection of one’s life is healthy, the biggest questions to ask oneself brings about likely change to more focus on what truly matters in life. This book will likely tug at your soul, as/if God chooses, differently than many others in the Bible. It seems to morph the eternal questions into mortal ones; to ask ourselves what we are doing with our lives here, and now, and how that effects here and now. The book is full of introspections, full of the questions of life. I love the simplicity of the opening statement in one of my study Bibles. “The theme of Ecclesiastes is the necessity of fearing God in a fallen, and therefore frequently confusing and frustrating, world.” It reminds me of the Proverbs and Psalms where we read of that holy, reverent fear of God. Psalm 111:10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; A good understanding have all those who do His commandments. His praise endures forever.

This time of year personally brings me incredible work loads; 70-80 hour work weeks for the summer months stretch me physically, emotionally, mentally, and tug me away from intimacy with my Lord just from needed rest. My in depth hours in study turn to 15-20 minutes of prayer each morning on my porch, only sometimes digging deeper into his Word. I look back at my favorite devotional (My Utmost for His Highest) and the journaling portion of it many times is blank after years of use. The world tugs me away, and my heart yearns for that intimacy. This week God tugged me in prayer back to this book by Solomon, knowing I needed an in-depth time with him. This week I had three encounters with customers and contractors that God gave me to help me realize he is still using my heart for him. I needed that divine encouragement; life’s struggles are real, and the older I get, the seemingly harder they get.

Will you seek to walk through the book of Ecclesiastes with me over the coming months? Will you prayerfully enter into a study of God’s Word, to let him work on our souls together? Will you seek to let the word of God seek your soul, to show you where he wants you to be as a bondservant to him? 2nd Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,
17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.
If you will let him, this seemingly complex book of Ecclesiastes will become as simple to you as the opening statement of the study Bible. To fear God is the beginning of wisdom.