There is nothing better for people than to be happy
Ecclesiastes 3:12-13 - Today’s two verses from Ecclesiastes should serve as a reminder to find joy in each day and in everything we do.
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“I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live. That each of them may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all their toil—this is the gift of God.”
Ecclesiastes 3:12-13 NIV
I recently remarked to Barb that I wasn’t especially fond of Ecclesiastes, but it’s apparent that God wants me to take a closer look at the book because He chose this verse for me today. These two verses come shortly after the well-known set of verses that begins with “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens” (Ecclesiastes 3:1). If those words sound familiar, it’s because they were used in the song “Turn, turn, turn…”, written by Pete Seeger and popularized by the 1960’s rock group The Byrds.
So why am I not very keen on Ecclesiastes? It probably has to do with the fact that it begins with the phrase “Everything is meaningless” (Ecclesiastes 1:2) which is repeated a number of times in the document. The Teacher (King Solomon, son of King David) seems to have been a bit manic-depressive in this book, as he vacillates between occasionally joyful statements like today’s verses, but mostly intones depressing phrases like Ecclesiastes 2:17: “So I hated life, because the work that is done under the sun was grievous to me. All of it is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.”
Bummer, huh? Well, there are only six places in Ecclesiastes where Solomon departs from his pessimistic view, one of them being today’s verses. The others, for your enlightenment and mine, are the surprisingly similar Ecclesiastes 2:24-26, 3:22, 5:18-19, 8:15, and 9:7-9.
Since we’ve caught Solomon in a happy mood, let’s take a closer look at these verses. He begins in Ecclesiastes 3:12 by exclaiming that “I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live.” Solomon is passing along a conclusion he has obviously come to after some introspection. He usually points out to the reader the limits we humans have in understanding God’s plan for us, and how futile our lives seem without looking at His perspective. Here, Solomon begins by saying that we should be happy and do good.
Rejoicing — being joyful — is a state commonly associated with both the presence of God and His blessings on us. What do I mean when I say “commonly”? “Rejoice” and “joy” are found over 300 times in the Bible! Solomon could be reminding us in this verse that our earthly lives are short, so it is important to find joy in each moment. Barb just started her new series on the Epistle to the Philippians. Soon she’ll look in depth at Philippians 4:4, which implores believers to “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!”
What about “doing good”? There are a lot of ways for believers to “do good”, but I think Solomon was trying to tell his readers to live their lives aligned with God’s commandments and to try to reflect His character. Christians can follow the perfect example of someone who always did good — Jesus (Acts 10:38 describes this). The verse ends with the words “while they live”, an encouragement for readers to make the best use of their rather short (on the eternal timeframe) time on earth by rejoicing and doing good.
Now we’ll look at verse 13 — “That each of them may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all their toil—this is the gift of God.” Eating and drinking should be more than just a way to stay alive. These acts should be a cause for enjoyment in our lives. In the context of Solomon’s time, meals were times for community and fellowship. The Bible uses eating and drinking metaphorically, to describe spiritual nourishment and joy (see Isaiah 55:1-2 for a good example of this).
You’ve probably heard sayings like “Do something you love and you’ll never work a day in your life”. Solomon explores a similar theme in Ecclesiastes, explaining that while life is short and often seems meaningless, we should find value and fulfillment in the work that God has given us to do. He’s not talking about being successful; rather, it’s all about finding joy and purpose in the tasks we do every day. There’s a wonderful reference to this in Colossians 3:23-24:
“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.”
Today’s two verses from Ecclesiastes should serve as a reminder to find joy in each day and in everything we do. Our lives are a precious gift from God!
Heaven On Wheels Daily Prayer:
Heavenly Father, I thank You for the gift of each new day and the joy You place in my heart. Help me to live my life aligned with Your commandments and to reflect Your character to others. Remind me to rejoice in Your blessings, and to be content with the work that I am given by You. Most of all, teach me to see each moment of my earthly life as a gift from You. May I live with gratitude, love with purpose, and rest in Your goodness. AMEN.
You are quite welcome, Saint Joe!
Thank you saint Steve!