Anglican Devotional 22 October 2022 – Life Without God Is Vanity

TOPIC: Life Without God Is Vanity

READ: Ecclesiastes 1 (NKJV)

1. The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.
2. “Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher; “Vanity of vanities, all [is] vanity.”
3. What profit has a man from all his labor In which he toils under the sun?
4. [One] generation passes away, and [another] generation comes; But the earth abides forever.
5. The sun also rises, and the sun goes down, And hastens to the place where it arose.
6. The wind goes toward the south, And turns around to the north; The wind whirls about continually, And comes again on its circuit.
7. All the rivers run into the sea, Yet the sea [is] not full; To the place from which the rivers come, There they return again.
8. All things [are] full of labor; Man cannot express [it.] The eye is not satisfied with seeing, Nor the ear filled with hearing.
9. That which has been [is] what will be, That which [is] done is what will be done, And [there is] nothing new under the sun.
10. Is there anything of which it may be said, “See, this [is] new”? It has already been in ancient times before us.
11. [There is] no remembrance of former [things,] Nor will there be any remembrance of [things] that are to come By [those] who will come after.
12. I, the Preacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem.
13. And I set my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all that is done under heaven; this burdensome task God has given to the sons of man, by which they may be exercised.
14. I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and indeed, all [is] vanity and grasping for the wind.
15. [What is] crooked cannot be made straight, And what is lacking cannot be numbered.
16. I communed with my heart, saying, “Look, I have attained greatness, and have gained more wisdom than all who were before me in Jerusalem. My heart has understood great wisdom and knowledge.”
17. And I set my heart to know wisdom and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also is grasping for the wind.
18. For in much wisdom [is] much grief, And he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.

THE MESSAGE:

The book of Ecclesiastes is one of the books of wisdom written by King Solomon. In the passage today, Solomon introduces himself as a teacher who uses his experiences as a wealthy and wise king to teach his readers the purpose of life. Solomon likened life to a vapour that vanishes in a twinkle of an eye. Using nature and some creatures of God, he also explains the vanity of this world thus:

(1) From existence of the earth, several generations have come and gone, yet the earth remains.
(2) On a daily basis, the sun rises and sets
(3) The winds also blow and go back to their circuit.
(4) The sea is not full with the rivers, yet the water goes back to the rivers.
(5) Human desires are insatiable.
(6) There is no new thing on earth.
(7) Too much of wisdom would lead to sorrow (verses 4-18).

With these in mind, one is forced to ask: What exactly is the essence of life? Everything man desires (be it pleasures or comfort) does not last. Then, if one would live a meaningful life here on earth, one must live a life with eternity in view. We must live our lives to please God, for in Him we live, move and have our being (Acts 17:28a). Therefore, life without God is vanity.

PRAYER: Life without God is complete emptiness.