I came to hate all my hard work here on earth, for I must leave to others everything I have earned. And who can tell whether my successors will be wise or foolish? Yet they will control everything I have gained by my skill and hard work under the sun. How meaningless! So I gave […]

After much thought, I decided to cheer myself with wine. And while still seeking wisdom, I clutched at foolishness. (Ecclesiastes 2:3) Solomon’s wrap-up counsel deserves prime-time exposure. It belongs on the marquee of every X-rated theatre. Like a note, it could be inserted inside every bottle of drugs. It would be a great neon sign […]

I said to myself, “Come on, let’s try pleasure. Let’s look for the ‘good things’ in life.” But I found that this, too, was meaningless. So I said, “Laughter is silly. What good does it do to seek pleasure?” (Ecclesiastes 2:1–2) The slogan of the strictly secular lifestyle can be reduced to six single-syllable words: “If […]

I devoted myself to search for understanding and to explore by wisdom everything being done under heaven. I soon discovered that God has dealt a tragic existence to the human race. I observed everything going on under the sun, and really, it is all meaningless—like chasing the wind. (Ecclesiastes 1:13–14) As we learned previously, many […]

These are the words of the Teacher, King David’s son, who ruled in Jerusalem. “Everything is meaningless,” says the Teacher, “completely meaningless!” (Ecclesiastes 1:1–2) There once lived a man who had the time, money, and energy to take a prolonged, searching journey. Not just a mind trip. Not across the imaginary back roads of his […]

Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near. (Hebrews 10:24–25)   All the way through Hebrews the spotlight is on […]

Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace. (Ephesians 4:3)   A typical American family was driving home from church on Sunday. Dad was fussing about the sermon being too long and sort of boring. Mom said she thought the organist played too loudly during the second hymn […]

“Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so […]

And yet, O Lord, you are our Father. We are the clay, and you are the potter. We all are formed by your hand. (Isaiah 64:8) Several years ago my wife and I visited a local university campus during their art festival. We had the privilege of slipping behind the curtain and watching a potter […]