the Fourth Week after Easter
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Daily Devotionals
Day by Day Devotional - Year 5 of 5
Ecclesiastes 6:1-12
"Verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity . . . surely every man walketh in a vain show . . . surely they are disquieted in vain: he heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them." The experience of the Preacher confirms these truths of Psalms 39:5-6. Man, his environment and his activities are all fleeting. His soul alone exists for eternity and this is exactly what he is usually least concerned about. "All the labour of man is for his mouth"; his soul is not satisfied with life’s good things (literally – is not filled; vv. 7, 3). The Lord tells the story of a rich man who deceived his own soul by offering it material things down here (Luke 4:4; Luke 12:16-20). One is really saddened to think of so many wasted lives, of the vast amount of intelligence and energy devoted to what? . . . to pursuing objectives as inconstant and fleeting as the "pursuit of the wind" (v. 9 – JND trans.). Tormenting themselves thus without rest (v. 5), seeing no good (v. 6), these very lives will have passed "like a shadow" (v. 12) and yet account will have to be rendered before God. Christian, may this warning open our eyes too. We will not have an opportunity to start life over again. May our whole life be used for the Lord.
