Booze, Sex, Entertainment

Yesterday I wrote about the Journal that Solomon left behind for us in the book of Ecclesiastes. He used the phrase "Under the sun" 27 times which told us why nothing he had or did satisfied him. Life is drab and depressing, hopeless, meaningless simply because he left God out of the picture. Solomon tried laughter, comedy routines, booze, sex, entertainment, ego building projects, art collections, fun trips, serious work, and a half dozen other attempts at happiness and all of them blew up in his face.

Ecc 2:11
Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, (accomplished) and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all was vanity (emptiness) and vexation ( pointless) of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun.

Ecc 2:17
Therefore I hated life; because the work that is wrought under the sun is grievous unto me: for all is vanity (empty) and vexation (pointless) of spirit.

Ecc 2:18
Yea, I hated all my labour which I had taken under the sun: because I should leave it unto the man that shall be after me. (Leave it to the person who replaces me)

Many call it the straight Life and if we call it that it will become awful here is what many call the straight life. It's the mother washing dishes 3-hours a day; cleaning sinks and scouring toilets, waxing floors, chasing toddlers and mediating fights between the siblings. It's driving the van to school and back 23-times a week; grocery shopping and baking and on and on until you finally become the parent of an ungrateful teenager that wants to find themselves without knowing where to look. For the dad it's off to work you go after pulling your tired frame out of bed, 5-days a week 50 weeks out of the year. It may be earning 2-weeks a year where you take a vacation that will please the kids. Spending your money wisely instead of indulging in that new whatever; it's spending a Saturday afternoon doing something you would rather not be doing instead of watching the game.
It is head colds, engine tune-ups, oil changes, pulling crab grass and income tax. It is giving a portion of your income to God's work when you already wonder how you will make ends meet. Finally you have had it; this pointless unsatisfying life. Off to the Porsche showroom floor, a new wardrobe and there you stand with your shirt open down to your belly button, big gold chain, shades and a sweet looking thing hanging on your arm. It's off to the disco, karaoke and a little fun for you. You have tried the straight life and it didn't satisfy so you change gears only to find it will not satisfy either. Before this ride is over you will find that the price is far greater than you ever wanted to pay. Solomon tells us do you want real meaning, purpose, an investment that will give lasting dividends? Solomon says then wake up and wise up I can tell you before you get started
it will not satisfy.

1. The sensual lure of something better tomorrow robs us of the joys offered today.
   
2. The personal temptation to escape is always stronger than the realization of the consequences.
   
3. The final destination, if God is absent from the scene, will not satisfy.
   
   

The Good life, the one that truly satisfies exists only when we stop wanting a better one. When we realize satisfaction comes when we step off the escalator of desire and say, this is enough. What I have will do. What I make of it is up to me and the relationship with my Lord is vital.