If God’s ultimate end is His glory, why does my life stray so far from this end?
We look for meaning in our lives. We want our life to count for something so we try to make much of ourselves. This is the flesh we fight. Again I ask how do I make much of God? How do I glorify His name?
The same day I wrote those things above in my journal, I read part of Ecclesiastes.
For the wise man, like the fool, will not be remembered for very long, because in the days to come, both will already have been forgotten. Alas, the wise man dies—just like the fool! So I loathed life because what happens on earth seems awful to me; for all the benefits of wisdom are futile—like chasing the wind. Ecclesiastes 2:16-17
If we make much of ourselves we believe we will be remembered but the odds are that we will not be remembered even by our own family. How many generations do you remember from your own family? How often do you speak of great-grandfather or great-grandmother? The truth is, we will not be remembered for very long yet we desire this. We take steps to leave our mark on the world. What is our lasting legacy?
I did not read the entire book of Ecclesiastes that morning but I know from previous readings that his conclusion is that we “Fear God and keep his commandments, because this is the whole duty of man.” Ecclesiastes 12:13
So I have thought about this. What are His commandments? Love God. Love our neighbor. Yes of course but for what end? So that God will be glorified? So that His name will be made much of?
There is always a lot to think upon. I also find it interesting that this includes an aspect of the time thought pattern. Isn’t it so much fun combining thought patterns to form a much larger idea?