Beast of Burden

“What does a man get for all the toil and anxious striving with which he labors under the sun? All his days his work is pain and grief; even at night his mind does not rest. This too is meaningless…What does the worker gain from his toil? I have seen the burden God has laid on men…He has also set eternity in the hearts of men;” Ecc. 2:22-23; Ecc. 3:9-11.

King Solomon had whatever he wanted, whenever he wanted, however he wanted it, and yet he was miserable. Why? It is clear in Scripture that the reason we will never be satisfied and completely content in anything we do is because it is not how we were created. God created us to long for eternity. He placed in our hearts a hunger that would never be satisfied on earth, ultimately creating a desire for Him alone. I love the writing of Ralph Burton, a top cartoonist, who was also bored with life.

‘The failure of pleasure and possessions to fill the heart of man was illustrated by a fictional character who only had to wish for something and he got it instantly:

He wanted a house and there it was with servants at the door; he wanted a Cadillac, and there it was with chauffeur. He was elated at the beginning, but it soon began to pull on him. He said to the attendant, ‘I want to get out of this. I want to create something, to suffer something. I would rather be in hell than here.’ And the attendant answered, ‘Where do you think you are?’ That is where our contemporary society is – in a hell of materialism, trying to satisfy the human heart with things that cannot bring lasting enjoyment.” Believer’s Bible Commentary, p. 887.

Many times God will give us what we desire in our hearts even if it may harm us. The most recent example of this is the senseless death of Amy Winehouse, a singer in her twenties with a gift of song. In the International Herald Tribune they labeled their article, Amy Winehouse, Bad Girl With A Touch Of Genius. Her longing for satisfaction apart from God led her into a life of drugs and sin. All talent is given by God designed to be used for His glory and advancing His message. This title says it all: God, the Genius, touches us with a gift and the outcome will be the manner in which we use that gift. When our talents or toils are used to the good of ourselves instead of our God the power of that gift from God is diluted and unproductive. King Solomon understood this as he pondered life as he knew it.

My commentary states, ‘Solomon concludes that man has nothing of enduring value as a result of all his labor and heartache under the sun. He strives, he plods, he frets and fumes – but for what? What difference does it all make five minutes after he dies? Apart from revelation, we would come to the same conclusion. But we know from God’s Word that our lives can be lived for God and for eternity. We know that all that is done for Him will be rewarded. Our labor is not in vain in the Lord.’ p. 887

“Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” 1 Co. 15:58.