Ecclesiastes is probably the wrong book to read if you are feeling emo or depressed, because you might make the mistake of taking away the wrong point. The phrase that is repeated throughout the book is "it is meaningless". The right way to understand this point is that everything really is meaningless, if we lose sight of our creator and live life on our own terms. I find Ecclesiastes truly helpful, but I have to always remember this point about how to interpret it!
Just a few reflections on parts that stood out to me.
Ecclesiastes 10:10 - If the ax is dull and its edge unsharpened, more strength is needed, but skill will bring success.
I once heard a pastor share a story about the ESPN lumberjack games. Yes it's a real thing. There was one event where contestants had to chop through a certain number of logs, and the person who could do it the fastest would be the winner. There was one contestant that day who completely destroyed the competition. When asked about his strategy, he said, "given the number of logs we had to chop, it was clear that we would have to take rest breaks. No one has enough endurance to continuously chop for that long. So, during the time when I was catching my breath, I also used that time to take out this file and sharpen my ax."
To me, this verse from Ecclesiastes gives me a picture of what it is that we are doing when we rest. We are "sharpening our axes", so to speak. No one is strong enough to work continuously, it is an act of wisdom to take that time to rest!
Ecclesiastes 11:4 - Whoever watches the wind will not plant; whoever looks at the clouds will not reap.
I am a dreamer. I love to think about ideas and live in the world of ideals. I think these words are important for people like me! It's a reminder that at the end of the day, there is work that needs to get done! It's not a call to only pursue being practical, there is a need for dreams and ideals. But like so many things in the Christian life, it's not one or the other, but being able to live with a good balance of both.
Song of Songs
We are also reading Song of Songs this week, I would like to refer you to this excellent article by the folks at the Bible project. It does a great job of explaining some of the more puzzling things about the book.