From the series "A Word to the Wise" from Ecclesiastes.
Ecclesiastes 1:2; 2:1-11; 2:24-25; 3:9-13; 5:18-20; 6:9; 8:15
Vapour/smoke has a temporary and fleeting nature which could encourage contrasting postures towards play and pleasure. 1. What’s the point in enjoying anything because it will eventually disappear? 2. I’m going to pursue as much pleasure as possible, while I have the opportunity. Is there a healthy balance to be found of not clinging on too tightly to things that bring us pleasure and making them idols (ref. Isaiah 44) but coupling this with a genuine enjoyment of the simple things in life and acknowledging them as gifts from God? If we give ourselves completely over to pleasure, satisfaction will be temporary and Monday morning always comes around. The teacher tried to find pleasure in lots of different areas, some of them not bad in and of themselves, but this only filled his life and didn’t bring fulfilment to it. This said, life is hard work, throws up all kinds of challenges and the teacher acknowledges that God has placed this burden on us so it’s important we enjoy ourselves in amongst our toil and hardships. A posture of total trust in God helps us to enjoy life as we actually experience it as opposed to pursuing how we think it ought to be.
Ryan Baxter 27/8/2023