I don’t believe I have ever heard anyone speak of the writer of Ecclesiastes as an optimist. The Preacher, as he is at time called, often finds the experiences of life meaningless. Verse fourteen announces such meaninglessness in the context of life’s injustice…the righteous who get what the wicked deserve, and the wicked who get what the righteous deserve. Though written long before the birth of Jesus, the preacher’s complaint is still voiced and pondered today by people who continue to struggle with life’s injustices. The preacher rightly states the problem, then, uncharacteristically offers a positive response.
He commends the enjoyment of life…to eat, drink, and be glad. Sounds too simple, doesn’t it? We are more often looking for five-point plans, regimented formulas, multi-step plans from popular experts that promise impressive results. Somehow in our consumer driven culture where solutions can be easily purchased, we have lost a sense of life’s simple joys that come not in packages ordered online, but from a heart and mind that are transformed by that which is truly significant.
Christmas is a simple story of love. God loved the world, and in the midst of it’s sinfulness and injustice, God gave the gift of Christ for all. The words of Jesus, however, are significant in our understanding of God’s intent for this gift of Christmas. “I am come,” Jesus said, “that you might have life, and life more abundant.” Perhaps the preacher’s words are echoed here…”to eat, drink, and be glad.” The gift of light and life in Jesus Christ is a gift that transforms, not just for an eternal hope someday, but for today…abundant living. “Then,” we hear the preacher’s words a bit differently, “joy will accompany them in their toil all the days of the life God has given them under the sun.”
Prayer: O God, help us to find joy in the everyday experiences of life because of the simple story of love, the gift of Christmas, Your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen.
Jim Abernathy
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