Too Much Striving After Things

Eccl 1:1-3 NIV
“Meaningless! Meaningless!” 
    says the Teacher.
“Utterly meaningless!
    Everything is meaningless.”

What do people gain from all their labors
    at which they toil under the sun?

When my husband I first began our married life together, almost forty-six years ago, we began it in a small and simple apartment. Our first home was in a renovated officer's barracks at Sterling Homes, Oceanside, CA. We both worked hard. He was in the Marine Corps. I followed him around finding jobs as I could at every new location. There were times when I worked two jobs. I went to college as I was able and raised our sons, mostly alone, as he was deployed most the time. We use to joke that he had more sea time than most sailors. Our family grew and so did our homes. But, now as we have grown older, the desire to have big and luxurious has been replaced with the need to own only what we have the physical ability and energy to care for ourselves, with a little help from family and friends. We have gone down to small and simple once again.

There are times when I wonder how much time, effort, and money was wasted on striving after things that were utterly meaningless. I no longer can remember how many cars we've owned and definitely can't remember how many living rooms sets we have saved for and purchased. I remember only the first one which I retrieved from a dumpster and reupholstered myself. It takes way more effort to remember that meaningless trivia than I want to expend. It takes me a bit of time to even count how many homes we have lived in or even owned. There are times when I definitely grieve the time, effort, and money lost to so many things that were utterly meaningless in the big picture of eternal life. But, that grieving too is meaningless. What has been done cannot be undone. It is only possible to move forward.

We have to work to sustain our lives and our families. That is a reality. But, we also need to be able to find time to live life; to enjoy the very basic and precious things that God has given to us. There are more important things in life than amassing huge amounts of things. Relationships with family and friends; our relationship with God who created and then through Christ recreated us in him are much more valuable than anything that money can buy. In Christ we can have a new beginning. We can begin to truly live life.

Jesus said, "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (Matt 6:21)  When we finally come to the place where we can say that the treasures we seek are in the Kingdom of God and not in this world, our relationships with God and with one another will be what brings us joy and peace. These things are some of the best treasures that might be had in this world for they come not from this world; but, originate in the Kingdom of God. These things, I have found, are quite elusive when we are busy striving after things..

Help others to know the treasures of joy and peace. Share the Good News that we have been reconciled to God, in His Kingdom, through the blood of Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Lord.

God's Peace - Pr. J