Oh Solomon!

You could write hundreds of books explaining what Solomon is talking about in Ecclesiastes and make it a lifetime study--and some have and there are more than a hundred I'm guessing. But as Solomon says himself, "Be careful, for writing books is endless and much study wears you out." (Eccl. 12:12)

But I've been studying Ecclesiastes anyway. He's pessimistically comforting in a world where I feel like I have to pretend I'm okay and not depressed. Too many people saying lately, "you're so depressed all the time. You're not like this. This isn't normal Lydia." well, it wasn't normal Lydia. but it is now. So, does that mean I get on the Zanax and float through life? when I'm holding a knife to my wrist, I'll call a doctor. But even thought I'm not scared of dying anymore, I'm still scared of needles and other sharp objects so I think we're okay.

Anyway. Solomon. The wisest man who ever lived. Wrote the proverbs and the sexy Song of Songs (or Song of Solomon--I never knew which was right) also wrote Ecclesiastes at the end of his life...when he had the whole thing to look back on. All his riches and power and intelligence and pleasure and the man had it made, okay?

And every other word in Ecclesiastes is "MEANINGLESS!" Life is meaningless! Its all Meaningless! Everything (food, women-or men!-, power, money, work, etc...) is like chasing after the wind (which is...MEANINGLESS!) So...ENJOY LIFE NOW! Be happy in your work--its fruitless otherwise. and to enjoy your work and enjoy the fruits of your labor (i.e. nice food, good clothes, fun times, wine, friendly party, things that money can buy you--money you got from your work) is a gift from God. Cool. God wants me to enjoy my life. I like that.

BUT "how meaningless to think that wealth brings happiness!" (5:10) and "Enjoy what you have rather than desiring what you don't have. Just dreaming about nice things is meaningless (his favorite word)--like chasing the wind." (6:9)

He so wonderfully is miserable. He's seen "death of good young people and the long life o wicked people..."(7:15) What??? but that's not fair!! but yes, its true because I have too. (Maura dies of cancerat age 22 and headline last week was Roman Polanski age 75 or something just now getting caught to be tried for child rape...) "the fastest runner doesn't always win the race and the strongest warrior doesn't always win the battle. the wise sometimes go hungry and the skillful are not necessarily wealthy (no duh! just think of actors and stars). And those who are educated don't always lead successful lives. It is all decided by chance, by being in the right place at the right time. People can never predict when hard times might come. Like fish caught in a net or birds in a trap, people are caught by sudden tragedy." (9:11-12)

He tears apart making your destiny happen. He says, "No one really knows what is going to happen; no one can predict the future." (10:14) and "Everything has already been decided. It was known long ago what each person would be. So there's no use arguing with God about your destiny." (6:10) But then says to enjoy your work and work hard and not be lazy because you get nothing from being lazy and you gain nothing if you work so hard and have no one to share it with. But work hard at what??

Day by day we figure it out I guess. We do our work. We enjoy our work. I work on being an actor and keep going to auditions and getting rejected and not seeing any of my dreams come true and yet I enjoy looking after Peter and Lauren as their babysitter too.

Enjoy life now, but then he says, but seek out wisdom and think about death and eternity. "Eat, drink, be merry..." but "a house of mourning is better than a house of feasting" because people who think about death and ponder life and see its shortness are being given wisdom. (7:1-4)

Wisdom for what, oh Wise one? if life is so meaningless? who cares?

Nobody. he says. But you will be judged for your actions. So live it up. But make choices wisely since life is short, pleasure is short and God is eternal.

He says (basically)
Life isn't fair.
Life is short.
Life is uncertain.
Enjoy now (things like youth when young, prosperity, etc..) because you don't know what tomorrow holds.
Its good and a gift from God to enjoy your life
But there will be times of no joy. ("There is a season for everything..." (3:1-14)
But have a future and eternal mindset because ultimately GOD will judge you for ALL your choices.
so...
Fear God. or know God...or respect God...and what do those words entail?
Obeying Him. If you respect someone, you listen to them. You take their advice. You know them, so you trust them...can you respect someone without trusting them or knowing them? Depends on how I define the word I guess. I "respect" Meryl Streep as an artist but I don't really know her. And without knowing her, how could I trust her? But Meryl Streep is not God.
God asks me to obey him.

Sounds harsh. But what are God's commands that I have to obey?

"Love the Lord, my God, with all my heart, soul and mind."
"Love my neighbor as I love myself."

"Love even my enemies," Jesus preached. I get that...Jesus was preaching something I think we all get. He lived and preached selfless love. okay.

But how can one love God with heart soul and mind if they don't know God?

And we love because He first loved us, how can we love someone, anyone if we don't know God?

Yet people who don't believe in God love other people. I have friends who I KNOW love me and they DO NOT love God if they even believe that God exists.

But we are made in the image of God. So does that mean that part of us knows how to love anyway because it was created in us?

I'm driving myself crazy now. What I wouldn't give for a conversation with Solomon.