1: For all this I considered in my heart even to declare all this, that the righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of God: no man knoweth either love or hatred by all that is before them.
2: All things come alike to all: there is one event to the righteous, and to the wicked; to the good and to the clean, and to the unclean; to him that sacrificeth, and to him that sacrificeth not: as is the good, so is the sinner; and he that sweareth, as he that feareth an oath.
3: This is an evil among all things that are done under the sun, that there is one event unto all: yea, also the heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live, and after that they go to the dead.
4: For to him that is joined to all the living there is hope: for a living dog is better than a dead lion.
5: For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten.
6: Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun.
7: Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart; for God now accepteth thy works.
8: Let thy garments be always white; and let thy head lack no ointment.
9: Live joyfully with the wife whom thou lovest all the days of the life of thy vanity, which he hath given thee under the sun, all the days of thy vanity: for that is thy portion in this life, and in thy labour which thou takest under the sun.
10: Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.
Ecclesiastes 9:1-10
To some, this passage may seem depressing. To many, Ecclesiastes seems too much of a negative book for them to spend much time with. As I said once at 1st United, if Ecclesiastes was a musician, he would have played the Blues. The only way he knows of feeling better is looking the hard things in the face, and thinking about the parts of life that really trouble him.
A few basic things are really bothering Eccesiastes about life:
Death comes to all, whether they have lived righteously or wickedly. A man may have worked to build something up in life, but who knows whether those who follow him will use it well or waste it foolishly. And, human beings are burdened with toil and worry all the days of their lives, and then they go to the dead. If that’s the whole story to life, then, yes, it does seem a pretty dark picture.
He was talking on like this. And, really seems to be complaining about life, until he touched on death. “But, then they go to the dead.” That is a sobering note, and it sobers the old teacher up a bit too.
And, something stirs within him, sort of life he’s reminded; “I’m still alive,” and he says: “But, to him that is joined to the living, there is hope: for a living dog is better than a dead lion.”
He looks at the grave, then he looks back at life, and the vitality of it, catches him up and picks him up. Life may have its problems, but it is life. It is something. It may be crazy and unfair often, but to have a share in life, is really something.
I went to a visitation for the family of a 95 year old woman who had died. Over 30 years ago, her husband had killed himself. People thought that this woman wouldn’t make it long after that. But, she looked back at life after seeing the horrible face of death, and she decided to live. She found out how to live on, and she was there for her family and lived life fully and joyfully and she lived well right up until the end of her life.
There is something about life itself that makes us cling to it and celebrate it. You probably know how it is when you’ve had a real scare in the hospital or in a car wreck or with an illness, and suddenly you realize you are going to be o.k. It just feels so good to be alive, to have another day, to take another breath, to be able to eat and drink and talk and walk and smell the rain coming, or smell the ribs cooking. Life, being alive, is something that we lose sight of in the day to day struggles we have in the routines we get into. And, like Ecclesiastes, there are times when we just sing the Blues about life: it is unfair, those who are arrogant get the most, those who are fair don’t, those who have connections get the promotions, whereas those who work hard just get to work harder to make-up for those who don’t work hard and on and on and on. Now, there are plenty of things to complain about in life, as there were in Ecclesiastes day, but then there is THE SHEER FACT OF LIFE ITSELF AND THE CHANCE TO PARTAKE OF LIFE, TO SHARE IN IT, THAT JUST OVERCOMES ABOUT EVERYTHING ELSE.
A number of times in this book, Ecclesiastes finds comfort in these words: “Then I saw that there was nothing better than to eat, drink and take enjoyment in one’s work all the days of this life.”
THE SHEER FACT OF LIFE ITSELF AND THE CHANCE TO PARTAKE OF LIFE, TO SHARE IN IT, THAT JUST OVERCOMES ABOUT EVERYTHING ELSE.
AND, THAT’S WHAT I AM PROCLAIMING THIS MORNING. ‘MORNING HAS BROKEN, LIKE THE FIRST MORNING; BLACKBIRD HAS SPOKEN, LIKE THE FIRST BIRD . . . “
SOMEHOW RIGHT IN THE MIDST OF LIFE, WE START FEELING LIKE WE ARE DEAD; SOMEHOW RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF LIFE, WE LOSE CONTACT WITH THE VITALITY AND ENERGY OF LIFE ITSELF – THE MOST PRECIOUS OF ALL GIFTS OF GOD.
Ecclesiastes has some good words for us:
"Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart; for God now accepteth thy works.
8: Let thy garments be always white; and let thy head lack no ointment.
9: Live joyfully with the wife whom thou lovest all the days of the life of thy vanity, which he hath given thee under the sun, all the days of thy vanity: for that is thy portion in this life, and in thy labour which thou takest under the sun.
10: Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest."
This is the time to live. This is our time on earth. As the poet Rilke says: “this once is just so much, only this once and no more, to have been of earth, this once is irrevocable.”
God has provided for us to live fully on this earth. This is the creation we are a part of. We draw near to God when we open our selves to the created order, and enjoy it, notice it, learn of it and learn to live in it fully. We are of earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust. We live and move and have our being among all the things that God has made. I don’t know how to get this said just right,but let’s honor the God who gave us life by living life fully. Lets quit walking around like we are already dead when we are still alive. There will be a time to die, but, you know, its not yet. And, til that day comes, lets live life fully. When you have a real interest in life, a good dream, get to work on it. When you have a love, let it be known. When you have somebody near you to love, then love them. Don’t wander around with your head all caught up in feeling dead. Live your life as fully as you can to the honor and glory of God.
And, I know, there are going to be days when depression reigns, but deal with it like Ecclesiastes did, by being honest about some things that really bothered him about life. Say them outloud and to God, and listen to. But, then after you’ve looked inside a while, look outside. Look at that bird that is sitting on the window seal, and notice the colors. Look at that sunset this evening. Look at the funny things people do. Look at those who are right around you, and listen and let something unfold. Listen to some good music. Open your eyes to what is around you in this world. Receive the gifts of being alive, engage with others, enjoy the beauty, think on the craziness, wonder about the mystery, and as my Dad and I always did when we really needed to remind ourselves of how good life really is: Go get some pork, start a fire with hickory wood or charcoal, and go sit out by it with someone you trust and talk and get a few tastes off the grill and drink or two and, well, just remember why God put us here: to enjoy the goodness of all that he has made.
God wills the joy of human beings. If we understand this and experience it in our souls, we will walk in the Spirit of God, knowing his goodness and living in that goodness towards ourselves and others.
And, as we draw near to this Holy Table of the Lord, I say to you: “Eat this bread with thanksgiving; drink from this cup with gratitude to the one who gives us all things.” Let this bread and this cup awaken the life within you, so that you realize just what you’ve got right here and right now. What you’ve got is life and a share in it. The old teacher had it right, a living dog is truly better than a dead lion. Having a share in all this mess we call life is really something to be thankful for.
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