Sustenance for The Spirit
As we age, I believe we gain a deeper understanding of “time marches on.” In fact, it could be altered to “time speeds on.” It’s similar to the principle (of nature I’m sure) that the more we try to lose weight, the more weight we seem to gain. Knowing you should eat an apple makes you crave chocolate. I’m not sure why these things are true, but my experience solidifies that they are. Age and weight are two of many challenges we face on this earth.
When we’re young, we don’t expend much mental energy on the concept of time. Why would we? We can’t begin to understand what a gift it truly is until we realize how much of it we’ve lost. This is where we hope some wisdom begins to kick in as we gain deeper understanding through the passage of days, weeks, months and years. On earth, time has a beginning and an end, whether it’s described in minutes, hours, weeks or a life. This makes the idea of eternity, infinitesimal time, really hard to comprehend, as time-centered humans. Thus, as we edge closer to our life’s end-point, not knowing the exact date but that each day brings us closer, we ponder questions we had previously put off, and I believe we treat every day more like the gift it is.
Ecclesiastes is a book of wisdom that I have loved from the first time I read it many years ago. In fact, it floored me that it was in the Bible and I had not heard much about it. It seemed so timely (pun intended) then, and now. Good wisdom is like that. Now, don’t expect to be immediately uplifted and party-hardy as you read through Ecclesiastes, but I love the struggle and the conclusions, especially from an author (Solomon) who asked God for the specific gift of wisdom, when he could have answered pretty much anything. Solomon was given much earthly wealth and fame on top of the requested wisdom, which gives him some engaging insight.
One of the themes of Ecclesiastes is time. Solomon is looking back and reflecting on his own life, and the lives of mankind. He has obviously experienced much good, but also some pretty low moments. Probably the most familiar passage is found in Ecclesiastes 3:1, “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven:…” The verses that follow mention specific points in time, marked by emotions or events that all humans will encounter at some time or other. It is very poetic, often quoted at weddings and/or funerals, and a reminder that while we may feel that we are the first people ever to experience something, we’re not. Solomon continues through the book, expounding on human experiences of oppression, toil, advancement, riches and even wisdom itself, wrestling openly with great vulnerability. Especially for a king. Yet, while describing from his experience what life was about, he became disappointed and left empty. He even relates in chapter eight what it’s like to be THE king, possessing great authority with expectation of obedience. He concludes in Ecclesiastes 8:17, “…No one can comprehend what goes on under the sun. Despite all his efforts to search it out, man cannot discover its meaning. Even if a wise man claims he knows, he cannot really comprehend it.”
Living in a world of excess as we do, and distractions to the max, Solomon speaks to us, fast-forwarded over centuries of similar circumstances and struggles. After exploring many other options, he sums up the book in the last two verses:
“Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.”
Ecclesiastes 12:13, 14
After it’s all said and done, Solomon comes to a conclusion, that may not seem remarkable, but it is simple and wise. As we read Solomon’s thoughts we place a new premium on time. We realize that God gives us each day to live, and it is up to us to decide to live for Him. I want to offer one more verse, “For who knows what is good for a man in life, during the few and meaningless days he passes through like a shadow? Who can tell him what will happen under the sun after he is gone?” (Ecclesiastes 6:12). When I think of the minutes and hours I have spent in insignificant pursuits like watching mind-numbing TV or movies, and the self-satisfying activities I get absorbed into, I am brought to my knees by Solomon’s words.
We live with everyday reminders of time passing. As I walked in the early morning today, I heard birds chirping, which unconsciously made me aware of spring coming soon. Today is “super-bowl Sunday,” which is a time-marker for many of us, whether a fan of football or not. Perhaps one of the most important takeaways from Ecclesiastes is that life is to be experienced, and shared experiences connect us to each other. We may not even understand how some of what feels like an unimportant use of time will put us in deeper relationship with others, or with God, or both. Time is often used for “waiting,” and what we learn in those periods can be life-altering and fulfilling. Time does march on, whether we like it or not, but that is not really an issue. As in all things, putting the moments we are alive into the hands of our Creator and God is the main issue. He is with us, unseen, but seeing and guiding each step of the march.
Have a great day!
