Ecclesiastes 5:15-16 Naked a man comes from his mother’s womb,
and as he comes, so he departs.
He takes nothing from his labor
that he can carry in his hand.
This too is a grievous evil:
As a man comes, so he departs,
and what does he gain,
since he toils for the wind?

How utterly pathetic! This is a totally materialistic view of life, as if the only value in living were the physical things you can accumulate. I am reminded, in contrast, of the Southern Gospel song, “I Wouldn’t Take Nothing for my Journey Now.” Solomon ended up being totally self-centered, and that is indeed sad. Life on this earth isn’t about things, it’s about encountering God and preparing to spend eternity with Him. From that perspective, nothing is “emptiness and chasing the wind.” It is when our values are only materialistic that things seem that way. The beauty of the Gospel is that it gives meaning to all of life. We indeed can’t take anything material with us from this life, but what a joy it is to know that we have enabled others to go with us into eternal life and glory in God’s presence!

I deal with this issue all the time, a little bit in me and much more in those to whom I minister. I do have to remind myself that “this is temporal” every once in a while. However, the world around me is fixated on the temporal, and the majority of people in the world are caught up in that perspective. I am not to despise people for being deluded, but neither am I to leave them to wallow in their delusion. In particular, I am to be patient and persistent in encouraging the flock here to lift their eyes off of the temporal and fix them on the eternal, just as we are told in 2 Corinthians 4:8. I deal with some extreme examples of self-centeredness in the patients at the mental hospital, and they are pathetic indeed. I need to help people understand that the only difference between them and those patients is one of degree. If I put it that way, many would be offended, but it’s true. It’s true for me, too, and it is only by the grace of God that we are able to be Christ-centered. I need to strive to be an open channel of God’s grace for that purpose.

Father, thank You for all You allow us to experience to train us and prepare us for eternity with You. Help me not complain or be anxious, but thank You for Your protection and provision ahead of time. Help me indeed rest, relax, and rejoice in You, delighting to be Your child and Your servant, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!