Special Note: As with last week’s emphasis on Ephesians, this week (and maybe some of next) will focus on Ecclesiastes, my favorite book of the Bible. In particular, I’ll focus on the purpose and meaning of life as discussed by this book. For an overview, see my sermon, Live Life in Light of Death. I encourage you to read one chapter of the book daily to go along with these devotions.

Today’s Reading: Ecclesiastes 6

7 All human toil is for the mouth, yet the appetite is not satisfied.
Ecclesiastes 6:7

What will ring in eternity? 

The Teacher implies this question in today’s chapter. He speaks to desires, related to the dreams we examined yesterday. He recognizes how much time people spend chasing after desires, whether or things or people or advancement, and how fruitless and pointless so much of that chasing ends up being. 

It reminds me of a book I read this past winter. The sports writer Wright Thompson notes in Pappyland that success is like a currency and can be spent in one of three ways: getting more success, gaining fame, or having the life you’ve always wanted. Reading his words hit me square between the eyes. I already had the life I’d always wanted, so why, prior to getting sick, had I spent so much time and effort trying to get more success?

The Teacher says much the same. Again, his lesson is on contentment, but there’s a deeper layer to it as well. If not chasing after desire, we can focus those energies on the things that truly matter in this life: those things that will ring in eternity. Another way to say that is the way we looked at last week: asking ourselves if the things we want, the desires, the success being chased, will be remembered at our funerals? If not, it will not ring in eternity and is probably havel. For me, and for The Teacher, so much of what we chase after, so much of what we desire, is in pursuit of havel, making the chase itself a fruitless effort; in The Teacher’s words, “a chasing after the wind.”

There’s freedom, release, in letting go of the chase and finding contentment. 

Think
What are your desires? What do you chase? What do you think of The Teacher’s words here? They can definitely be convicting and challenging!

Pray
Give to God the desires of your heart and ask for contentment.

Do
One of the best ways to find contentment is through gratitude. Find a way to show gratitude today for what you have.

Think, Pray, Do. As we respond in faith to scripture, God moves in power through our minds, hearts, and bodies. We are the people of God. Thanks for reading today. Go in peace. Amen.

Think, Pray, Do devotionals by Ted Goshorn follow the suggested bible reading plan from his website and book, Prayer Changes Us. Find this Bible reading plan at tedgoshorn.org/biblereading. If you have found today’s devotion helpful, don’t forget to subscribe for daily emails at tedgoshorn.org and share with others that we may think, pray, and do faithfully.