Finding meaning

Ecclesiastes is a fascinating book. It's Solomon's journal as he looked for meaning. He begins with these words,

² “Everything is meaningless,” says the Teacher, “completely meaningless!”

³ What do people get for all their hard work under the sun? ⁴ Generations come and generations go, but the earth never changes. ⁵ The sun rises and the sun sets, then hurries around to rise again. ⁶ The wind blows south, and then turns north. Around and around it goes, blowing in circles. ⁷ Rivers run into the sea, but the sea is never full. Then the water returns again to the rivers and flows out again to the sea. ⁸Everything is wearisome beyond description. No matter how much we see, we are never satisfied. No matter how much we hear, we are not content.

⁹ History merely repeats itself. It has all been done before. Nothing under the sun is truly new. ¹⁰Sometimes people say, “Here is something new!” But actually it is old; nothing is ever truly new. ¹¹ We don’t remember what happened in the past, and in future generations, no one will remember what we are doing now.

If you don't see the "big picture" as you read this journal by Solomon you would really get depressed! Man, apart from a meaning and purpose, will simply live out his life, working for food, and then die. It's really a sad story if this is all there is.

As I write this on the first day of October I'm blessed to be sitting at a lake cabin some good friends loaned us for a couple days. A brief getaway, but very refreshing. I'm sitting on the patio, drinking some great coffee and looking at the lake. It's rather cold, but wonderful after the summer we have had. As I read Solomon's words and then copied them here I thought about the brevity of life, the constant search for purpose, significance, for meaning. We work our entire lives to find something worth living for. Finding meaning in life is vital because, as Solomon wrote, if this is all there is then why bother? If all I am is another animal living out my life, but with the sense to know that, this is the cruelest joke of all. Even my dog has a better life than mine if there is no meaning!

I think this topic is vital to our quest in life...our quest for significance, for meaning. We want our lives to mean something, to make a difference. If this life is all there is then eat, drink and be merry! This topic is the very reason my atheist friends are so angry....they want meaning, purpose, significance in their lives, but believe they are simply animals on the way to the grave and that's the end. If that's all we have to look forward to then I'd be mad too!

But here's the rub to all of this...the fact that I search for more, want more than food and clothing...the innate desire for meaning tells me I'm much more than my dog. It tells me there is more, it draws me out to find it. The desire for meaning is proof that there's something more, that I'm more than just an animal on my way to the grave. Where did that desire, that hunger for meaning come from? If there is no meaning then why do we all desire it? All of this hints at something more, someone more. If my desire for more has no fulfillment then we are the most pathetic of races. As Solomon finishes his journal he concludes this, "here is the conclusion of the matter; Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man."

Finding meaning is possible. The very desire to live for something, to leave a mark, to make a difference is the voice of God speaking to each one that there's more. This life is not all there is. There is meaning to find and it's not in the temporal things of this life...it's in God himself and a relationship with him. Finding meaning and purpose are all wrapped up in the God who made us. Until you find him your quest is incomplete.