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I used to think that Ecclesiastes was the most negative, dry, and repetitive of all the sixty-six books that make up the Holy Bible.
But I was wrong.
It is one of the most relatable and practical books.
King Solomon wrote this book based on his observations of life, showing us firsthand what great wisdom God had bestowed upon him when he asked for an understanding mind when he took to the throne after his father David's death (1 Kings 3:3-15).
With God's wisdom, Solomon knew well the fragility of human life and the brevity of our time on this earth; he said it well when he said in verse 20 of the third chapter, All are from the dust, and to dust all return.
But Solomon knew that with this negative, there was also a positive.
He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity
into man's heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to
the end. I perceived that there is nothing better for them [man] than to be joyful and to do good as long as they live; also that everyone should eat
and drink and take pleasure in all his toil- this is God's gift to man.
Ecclesiastes 3:11-13
Some call it the God-given task: to be joyful and do good as long as we live and also to take pleasure in the work and toil that God has given us.
Solomon permits us to live out our days in surrender and contentment, living the life that is pleasing to God.
But still, God has put eternity in our hearts.
What does this mean?
It means that we do not belong to this earth; we were never meant to inhabit a sinful and fleshly world like the one that we do. We were never meant to face the pain, sorrow, and grief that we do here below.
Because the human heart was meant for eternity.
I think C.S. Lewis said it best-
"If we find in ourselves a desire that nothing in this world can
satisfy, the most probable explanation is that we were made for
another world."
And that other world is Heaven.
So He has placed Eternity in our hearts.
Our hearts yearn for the promised land, where our weary souls will at last have rest from sorrow, anger, pain, loss, and hatred.
We long for our home.
When we go to heaven, we are not leaving our lives behind, nor will our lives be 'over'. Our lives will be just beginning and our story will continue, more epic and glorious than our lives on earth could have ever been.
And we will be home at last.
