Are your ready for another round of meaningless?

You say, “Bring it on, my life is already meaningless. I am at the end of my hope.”

In Ecclesiastes chapter 1, King Solomon flattens optimism, and closes the door on hope. He said,

“I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind...For with much wisdom comes much sorrow; the more knowledge, the more grief.” Ecclesiastes 1:14 & 18

Do you feel hopeless? Right, you already said so.

How could Solomon be so negative, so extremely pessimistic?

Is this negativity or bold realism?

Look again at the words of the verses-All, nothing excepted. ALL things done on earth are meaningless. Do we know of anyone who has chased the wind 💨 and caught it? Yes, impossible...and that’s how meaningless all things on earth are.

Let that sink in.

Then Solomon writes word equations:

· much wisdom=much sorrow

· more knowledge=more grief (and it is said we live in the Information Age!)

Do you feel painted into a corner yet?

There honestly is hope. Hope for today, and hope for eternity.

You are not the only person living in despair. Centuries ago, a Middle Eastern widow had come to the end of all her hopes. Drought had ravaged the country she lived in. Famine surrounded her. It was in her home. She only had enough flour and oil to bake a small loaf for her son and herself. Then they would face slow death by starvation. Elijah the prophet lived in the same country. He suffered from the drought too. God sent him to the widow. “Make a small loaf for me,” he said. “bake the rest for you and your son.” Then he said these words.

“For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the Lord sends rain on the land.’”

We don’t know the widow’s name. But she had lost all hope. She was ready to die. Life was meaningless, even though she had a son. Then Elijah told her God sees. He knew her needs. She baked the bread. She used up all the flour, all the oil. The next day there was just enough flour and oil for a meal for the three of them, Elijah, her son, and herself. She used it all again. Then, day after day there was just enough for the day. The widow learned to live one day at a time.

Life on earth in the end…is meaningless. God taught the widow to live one day at a time. He gives us the same blessing…to live trusting Him to provide-one day at a time. These words are for us today:

“The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the Lord sends rain on the land.”

Go back with me to Solomon’s writing. Remember the truth that God provides us with what we need-one day at a time.

Now look at the words “under the sun.” He is speaking about life on earth. There is another place...heaven. It’s not earth. Life on earth, the place “under the sun,” is where Solomon says we will find no meaning, just the hopelessness of the widow.

Heaven is the astounding opposite of earth.

Heaven is meaning FULL…forever.

There is no sorrow, no suffering, no death, or sickness. Heaven is when we can be in the presence of the One who made the wind. He wants us with Him. He will give us faith to believe something we cannot see. Isn’t it amazing? The things we see and know-the earth stuff...all meaningless. But what is unseen is more real...and it is filled with eternal meaning.

While Solomon was right, there is strength for today. There is brilliant hope for the future. Trust God for both.

There is always hope…when we trust in the One who gives it: God

Where Can I Find Hope?