“Lately I been thinkin’ ‘bout my lifetime…” (John Denver, “Poems, Prayers, and Promises)
King Solomon, once ruler of ancient Israel and gifted by God with wisdom above any other man, wrote, “I withheld from my eyes nothing they asked for, and denied myself no enjoyment; rather, I got enjoyment out of all my wealth. And that was all I got out of my wealth.” (Ecc.2:10 1985 JPS Tanakh)
This same point was paraphrased by my parents as I was growing up. Their version? “He who dies with the most toys is still dead.”
The temporary nature of life leads me to consider: How do I spend my time? How do I use my resources? What are my goals in life? What am I missing?
We can work hard and gain wealth. The point of the wealth gained is security and freedom from want. Oddly enough, our quest for freedom from want often leads to more “want” because there is never quite enough.
I am not immune to that itch of “Now I see it; now I want it!” although I often do not have the means to scratch it. I see a pair of shoes, and I want. I see clothing in my favorite color, and I want. I can want stuff I didn’t even know existed five minutes ago!
When I have the means, and I do get whatever, how long does the enjoyment and the satisfaction last? The things are nice to have, but the “high” so soon fades. It’s not unheard of that the stuff ends up as a donation to 1st & 2nd. There needs to be more!
There are other things that people seek in the world: some people seek entertainment and pleasure, some seek power, some just chase without knowing what they really want. Some people want bigger and better toys. Some want to be famous: to be important, well-known and remembered always.
Perhaps we are satisfied with temporary enjoyment, in which case the world seems sufficient for a time. But every person born on this earth will one day die. Even remembrance will be gone into Eternity. I know who my grandparents were, but I did not know them. The memory of generations back—gone!
The question of life is the crux of the matter. What can we gain for ourselves with all our planning, all our striving? We can gain a wealth of material goods for ourselves or for others, but we will be leaving those things. Others will have what we leave, to use or misuse, but we will be gone. I can enjoy what I can obtain through my wealth, my resources, but one day I will be gone from this earth.
I remember how the reality of change and impermanence broke over me in a wave of realization and despair one night as I sat in a dark bedroom rocking my sick 2-year-old to sleep. Everything I valued on earth would one day be gone. Change happens. The world cannot give us permanence.
Only God does not change, ever. What we seek, whether we understand this or not, is life. We cannot, of ourselves, gain life, nor can the world give us life. Because God created me— created you—He alone has the power to grant life— Life eternal!—Through His Son, Jesus Christ.
Christ died for our sin so that we might be reconciled to God and gain life everlasting. He was resurrected from the dead that we might believe in Him, trust in Him, and that through Him we might share in His Life. That is God’s promise to me. That is the way to permanence: Life through Christ. He told us so: not through the world or our efforts, but rather:
“Jesus said to him (Thomas), ‘I am the Way, and the Truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6, ESV 2001.)
Spiritual Reflections is a weekly feature discussing faith in Cook County. This week’s contributor is Irene Laine. She has lived in Grand Marais with her husband, Bob, since 1979. A former teacher at ISD 166 who retired in 2007, Irene remains active in community volunteer activities and as a member of Cornerstone Community Church.
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