Sep 11 2021 Day 176 Ecclesiastes 3:1–5:20



This is what I have seen to be good: it is fitting to eat and drink and find enjoyment in all the toil with which one toils under the sun the few days of the life God gives us; for this is our lot.

Ecclesiastes is a book that spends a lot of time pondering whether everything we do is chasing after the wind, or vanity of vanities. In the end the author concludes that what is good is when we eat, drink and enjoy the toil we’ve been given for the few days of life has given us. The author goes on that if one finds themselves with wealth and possessions, they should accept what they have, and find enjoyment for the few days that God has given them as well.

This makes me happy, as before this conclusion, it was sounding as if everything was chasing the wind. Everything was vanity. That makes life seem rather futile, and I cannot believe God has put us on this earth for futile purposes.

Whether one is given the path of toil or possessions, the way to stop chasing the wind is to enjoy them in the moment. To everything there is a season: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to cry and a time to laugh, a time to keep silence and a time to speak up. To everything there is a season.

The unifying aspect of all of this and the way to stop chasing the wind is to enjoy the moment, regardless of what that moment brings.

The accompanying reflection this morning is from the Cloud of Unknowing. No one knows who authored this book in the 1300’s, but it has become a classic in the realm of Christian Mysticism. Given my easy befuddlement at poetry and allegories, I struggle because I don’t understand much of it. I enjoy when it’s pulled into bite-size relevant pieces, like today’s commentary.

The commentary reflects that God has given us time at one precious particle after another. And in every particle of presence, ‘heaven can be won or lost’. God does not give us time in any manner other than one small moment following another. We don’t get moments concurrently, we don’t get to go backwards for a do-over, nor do we get to jump ahead beyond this precise moment.

I take all of this to mean that life unfolds for us one particle at a time. We experience all this life has to offer for the few days we’re here one particle at a time. Whether we toil or have riches, cry or laugh, it doesn’t matter. All we have is this single moment. And in each moment we are given the choice to enjoy it, or not.

This morning, I’m thinking about today’s 86,400 seconds, and how I might find enjoyment in each particle of time, regardless of the season I’m in.