Everything is meaningless?

Everything is meaningless?
In the book of Ecclesiastes we read,
“I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure. My heart took delight in all my work, and this was the reward for all my labour. 
Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun.” Ecclesiastes 2:10,11.
If there is no God then the above statement is true.”everything is meaningless, a chasing after the wind;...”
Some atheist say when we die we will live on in the memories of others. A statement that is not completely true. Perhaps if we have made a great discovery we may be remembered in some history book. But most of us will be forgotten within a generation or so.
Ask yourself, where was your great, great, great grandmother or father born? What was the colour of their eyes? What was their favourite piece of music? Where is their grave? What was their greatest achievement? Few people can answer these questions.
So my question to anyone who does not believe in God is where is the purpose in life if we are forgotten within a few generations? If all our achievements are only remembered in some dusty history book?
The way I see it without God life is meaningless. God’s existence makes life worthwhile. God gives us something to look forward to when this life is over.
The writer of Ecclesiastes comes to this conclusion,
“Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole  duty  of man. 
For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.” Ecclesiastes12:13,14.
Jesus said,
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.  
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.  Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son". John 3:16-18.
This statement of Jesus if right and I believe it is, is God’s offer to each individual of eternal life with Him. While at the same time giving a warning to all who would not believe of the consequences of unbelief.
It is a statement that all who hear about Jesus must consider carefully.
Please think about it.

Thoughts from Ecclesiastes

Thoughts from Ecclesiastes
The writer of Ecclesiastes makes several important statements. He writes,

“What has been will be again, 

what has been done will be done again; 

there is nothing new under the sun”

                                           Ecclesiastes 1:9

“I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; 

all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind.”

                                                            Ecclesiastes 1:14

“I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; 

I refused my heart no pleasure.

 My heart took delight in all my work, 

and this was the reward for all my labor. 

Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done 

and what I had toiled to achieve, 

everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; 

nothing was gained under the sun.” 

                                                           Ecclesiastes 2:10,11

The writer here notes the futility of life. Life being an endless cycle of gathering and scattering. No matter how many material possessions we acquire in our lifetime at the moment of our death those possessions are scattered among others.
We enter eternity pennyless. We only take into eternity the knowledge of our deeds and our faith, or lack of faith in God.
It is our faith, or lack there of that will determine where we will spend eternity. The writer of Hebrews telling us,

“And without faith it is impossible to please God, 

because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists 

and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” 

                                                                      Hebrews 11:6.

Jesus speaking of himself put it this way,
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.  
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.  
Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son”. John 3:16-18.
I firmly believe when God created mankind he gave each individual complete freedom to do as they wish. That freedom includes the right to believe in God or not to believe in Him.
Thus the choice is yours.
Please think about it.

Meaning

Meaning
“I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind.”Ecclesiastes 1:14
Over the years I have met many men and women who are looking for meaning in life. They have looked for that meaning in wealth, in science, in the arts, even in drugs and alcohol.     Some people even go off to join extremists and terrorist groups all in the hopes of finding meaning for their lives.
Sadly many unable to find meaning in the things of this world and what our secular society has to offer have committed suicide.
They concluded that what the writer of Ecclesiastes stated was right when he said,
“I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure. My heart took delight in all my work, and this was the reward for all my labor. 
Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun.” Ecclesiastes 2:10,11.
Looking at this life from man’s prospective. From a secular prospective where all there is, is this life, I can see how someone would think that way. Life quite often dose not seem to have any meaning.
After all what good is it if we acquire vast wealth, and possessions only to loose it all on the day we die?
Atheist tell us there is no God or an after life to which I think Peter John Kreeft answers wisely saying,
“Atheism treats people cheaply. Also, it robs death of meaning, and if death has no meaning, how can life ultimately have meaning?....
...in the end, when the atheist dies and encounters God instead of nothingness he had predicted he’ll recognize that atheism was a cheap answer because it refused the only thing that’s not cheap the God of infinite value” Peter John Kreeft ph.d.
The writer of Ecclesiastes after examining life from a human prospective comes to this conclusion,
“Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. 
For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.” Ecclesiastes 12:13,14.
The key I believe to finding meaning and peace in this life is belief in God.
C. S. Lewis said,
“If we find ourselves with a desire that nothing in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that we were made for another world.”  C.S. Lewis
 Rick Warren said,

“You were made by God and for God, 

and until you understand that, 

life will never make sense.” 

                                             Rick Warren.

Rick Warren is right until you understand that you were made by God and for God life will never make sense.
It is when we realize that life does not end in death. That man is an eternal being who was created by God to live on through eternity that we can truly find meaning in life.
Thomas Aquinas said,
“If, then, you are looking for the way by which you should go, take Christ, because He Himself is the way.” Thomas Aquinas
Jesus said,
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  
Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  
For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30.
Jesus offers to all who will believe in him peace. A peace that reaches to a persons soul. A peace the world cannot take away.
It is a peace that anyone can have if they would simply turn to Jesus in prayer and truly ask Him into their life.
Are you willing to ask Jesus into your life today?
Please think about it.

Meaningless

Meaningless
The writer of Ecclesiastes states,
“I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure. My heart took delight in all my work, and this was the reward for all my labor. 
Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun.” Ecclesiastes 2:10,11.
If all we have is this world as Atheist believe I think it would be such a waste. To my mind there has to be more. And the writer of Ecclesiastes also comes to that conclusion he states,
“Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole  duty  of man. 
For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.”Ecclesiastes 12:13,14 
There are many people out there looking for meaning in life. Some look for it in drugs and alcohol. Others in material things, fine houses, cars and other possessions. Some follow various philosophies. Many no matter what they do find no fulfilment in life.
To them C. S. Lewis states,
“If we find ourselves with a desire that nothing in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that we were made for another world.” C.S. Lewis.
Thomas Aquinas said

If, then, you are looking for the way by which you should go,

 take Christ, 

because He Himself is the way.

                                     Thomas Aquinas

Jesus said,
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  
Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  
For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30.
 As a believer in Christ I can say the words of Jesus are true. That’s not to say everything will be smooth sailing. Storms and troubles come up in everyone’s life.
Having Jesus in one’s life however makes even the worst storms and troubles easier.
When it comes to Jesus however, each person who is truly looking for meaning and peace within one’s life needs to pray. Then read the New Testament and decide for themselves who Jesus is.
Please think about it.