Ecc 8:15a So I commend the enjoyment of life….
At a glance, this verse appears to finally contain some positive counsel: Eat, drink, and be merry! And while that is upbeat at least, the sub-context is: Life is meaningless. You may as well make the best of it by enjoying the meaningless pleasures. Sigh.
Ecc 8:15b …because there is nothing better for a person under the sun than to eat and drink and be glad.
For me, it boils down to trust—something I am really bad at, but I’m trying. There is so much I do not understand in this life, and I think one day I will be in a position to find answers. But when that day finally arrives and I see Jesus face to face, I really don’t think those answers will be so important any more. So I try to trust —through my anger, confusion, and heartbreak—in the One who loves me fiercely. And I try to find the joy in each day because that joy is a gift from God.
Ecc 8:15c …Then joy will accompany them in their toil all the days of the life….
Lord, Thank You for this day and this scripture. Thank You that I don’t see life as meaningless, even when I don’t understand. Thank You for infusing Your joy in every day. Help me to see and savor it. Draw me closer. Amen.
Ecc 8:15d …God has given them under the sun.
Have a blessed day.