Are You Craving for Somthing More? Ecclesiastes 6

Wednesdays in the Word

An elderly woman lays in her bed wrinkled and weary from 83 years of labor, toil, joys and griefs. Her husband sits beside her holding her hand. The hospice nurse is close by and they are waiting...waiting for her to pass onto eternity's shore. Moments pass...she takes her last breath...like a vapor here today and gone tomorrow, she is gone.

Have you ever thought at night as you lie in bed - this is all I take into eternity with me...one day I will pass and be left bare. I have. My husband and I have actually discussed it multiple times while laying in bed. Though we may be surrounded by a room of loved ones we each will make this journey alone, with no bags packed for our journey - nothing to offer God but what we have done for our Savior on this earth.

This earth is a crazy place. It's so easy to be sucked into meaningless vain things.

Ecclesiastes 6:7-9 says "All man's efforts are for his mouth, yet his appetite is never satisfied. What advantage has a wise man over a fool? What does a poor man gain by knowing how to conduct himself before others? Better what the eye sees than the roving of the appetite. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind."

Whether you are the President of a huge company or a college student working part-time to eat at McDonald's - we all work for one thing - food. It's amazing how our appetite for food drives us. We can eat a massive breakfast and be stuffed to the gills and by lunch be hungry all over AGAIN! Our hunger drives us. Wealth is the same. It never satisfies - we always have a craving for more. No matter what material thing you choose to fill your void in your soul - it will be lacking.

It's amazing how as a parent I can clearly see that a "Happy Meal" at McDonald's makes my children happy for about 1 hour max! Then they completely forget about the toy and the next time we are at McDonald's guess what they want AGAIN - a "Happy Meal" and I want them to feel happy so I buy it for them! Well, as adults our "happy meals" just get bigger and more expensive. We continue to need a fix...a nice dinner out, a new outfit, a new car, or a new house! What's your fix - what makes you content for about 1 week and then you want more?

Ecclesiastes 5:19 says "Moreover, when God gives any man wealth and possessions and ENABLES him to enjoy them, to accept his lot and be happy in his work - this is a GIFT of God."

I know you have many gifts - this computer you read on is a gift. God says in the verse above that he wants to give us the ability to enjoy the gifts he has given us. But if we are always craving more - are we ever able to just enjoy what we have?

Pause and remember - we go into eternity with absolutely nothing packed in a suitcase - only the deeds we have done for the glory of God. Today - shut out the noise of this world - tune into the voice of God speaking softly in your ear...he says stop "chasing after the wind". Be content with the good gifts he has blessed you with.

Walk with the King!