Chasing After the Wind

Started reading Ecclesiastes again this morning, and it is such an interesting book of Solomon's thought's that somehow puts everything into perspective. He himself was a very imperfect man who had a bad ending and didn't really listen to his own advice (does that sound familiar to you?). Maybe that's why I like his writing, he is a gifted man, who has many worldly gifts but still finds the truth, following everything that does not have to do with God is a chasing after the wind.
 
Not to say we don't spend alot of time doing that because the influence of day to day life in this modern techno age leads us constantly into that wind. It is so easy to get off track, so easily influenced by things that look good but provide no lasting joy or peace. I remember so vividly how I was in my 20's, always looking to climb the next ladder, meet the next challenge, do the next thing that made me feel good, and I see today what impact that had on my life.
 
Solomon had so much more that most of us but yet he saw the meaningless nature of what he had done. He can sound a little depressing as he writes, but we can see through his eyes that things don't make a man or woman out of us, wealth does not bring true happiness, nor does power make us more in control of our lives. Meaningless, meaningless, a chasing after the wind are his ultra descriptive words of choice, but in the process of figuring this out he gives us great wisdom to follow.
 
What would you do if you lost all your possesisons, your job, your status, your marriage, and even your confidence? What would you fall back on? That is probably for most of us a most difficult question as we are in feel good mode as we enter the doors of Campus church when all is good, and reluctatnt to come when the bad is occuring. Why? Because like Solomon before he came to his conclusions, we are creatures of the habit of being judged, and judging based on how successful we or someone else is. When we experience loss, we feel like failures, but in truth we are made perfect by Him in our weakness not our strength.
 
Maybe as Soloman laid with prostitutes before he died he just became overwhelmed by all of this revelation. But he did say two are better than one, a chord of threee strands is not easily broken and there is nothing better for a man to do than walk with God. You see, walking with the Lord is a ride with the wind, like on wings of eagles, soaring majestically on high. But a walk that is chasing after the riches and fame of this world, provides very shallow living and constantly causes us to chase after that same wind, and we get high to numb the pain of failure instead of soaring.
 
It's releasing not depressing to be freed from this constant chasing, because then we will know the truth, and the truth will set all of us free to soar!
 
Glenn