Tuesday, July 20, 2010

What is the meaning of life?

Happiness?

"I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure. My heart took delight in all my work, and this was the reward for all my labor. Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun."
~ Ecc. 2:10-11

Success?

"For a man may do his work with wisdom, knowledge and skill, and then he must leave all he owns to someone who has not worked for it. This too is meaningless and a great misfortune."
~ Ecc. 2:21

Wealth?

"Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income. This too is meaningless."
~ Ecc. 5:10

If all this is meaningless, what is the meaning of life?

Solomon concludes in Ecc. 12:13 -
"Now all has been heard;
     here is the conclusion of the
            matter:
 Fear God and keep his
            commandments,
     for this is the whole duty of
             man."

First, we must fear God, not other people, the future, disappointment, hurt, failures (past, present, or future), or anything else.

Second, we must obey his commands to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength and to love our neighbor as ourselves.

The meaning of life lies within an intimate relationship with the Maker of heaven and earth.

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