Advent, Ecclesiastes, & Human Fragility

Ecclesiastes may be my favorite book of the Bible. 

ChatGPT aptly tells me that the book “reflects on the fleeting and often perplexing nature of life, emphasizing that true meaning and fulfillment are found in reverence for God and enjoying life's simple blessings.” This came to mind as I sat with my friend Jerry at a new burger place this month.

We mused about faith, wonder, and God’s invitation to love him with all our heart, soul, mind and strength (Deuteronomy in Jerry’s faith tradition; quoted by Jesus according to mine). We talked about children (his grown; mine 10/12/14-years-old), about the challenges and blessings in various stages of life, and (ironically given the start of this paragraph), about AI and the future of human hearts, souls, minds, and strength.

The theme of “legacy” wove itself through all these topics: what will we leave behind? What impact will we have on the world? How will future generations be better because of our brief time on earth? While lunch was lovely and the conversation inspiring, the answer to these questions eluded us… but we both left with a sense of longing, yearning, and hoping for something good to come from our lives. If that doesn’t encapsulate the theme of Advent, I don’t know what does!

My friend Matt has lamented before,that church leaders can skip the season of Advent and instead emphasize Christmas for the whole month of December. He claims that doing so diminishes the sweetness of Christmas! The joy of Jesus’s arrival, the peace and hope promised in the manger, the culmination of God’s love by sending a Redeemer and Messiah are only felt in their true power if contrasted against the silence, the waiting, the yearning, and even the hopelessness that’s historically defined the Advent season. 

In other words, the beauty and glory of the future answers the difficulty and unknowns of the present. And here, we find an echo of Ecclesiastes: life is fleeting – it’s a “vapor” or “mist,” according to the book’s author. In global events, outward relationships, and inward struggles, it is perplexing. We can’t know what the future will hold, or even what legacy we will leave. That’s Advent. 

But praise God, Advent gives way to Christmas! After 400 years of silence between the Old and New Testament, God speaks. After the pain and difficulty of this life, a Messiah will come and make all things right. Within the “fleeting and often perplexing nature of life... true meaning and fulfillment are found in reverence for God and enjoying life's simple blessings.” So to quote Ecclesiastes, “there is nothing better for a person than that he should eat and drink and find enjoyment in his work... Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man” (2:24, 12:13).

Life is short. Life seems fragile. Difficulty appears rampant. Ministry can be hard. And – whether household, church, ministry role, or normal job – our futures and legacies seem uncertain. But in the midst of it... day by day God gives us food, drink, and work. And whether you’re ending 2024 on a mountaintop or in a proverbial pit, “the Lord your God is with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9). In the midst of life’s questions, we get to rest in his provision; we get to trust his promise; we get to hope for his coming. Life is fleeting -- but God is eternal. Legacy is unknowable -- but God is in control. Ministry and mission can seem impossible -- but God is at work, even in ways we might never know. Humanity feels fragile –– but our God is strong and certain. So in our proverbial "Advent moments," we get to rest in God's “Christmas promises” – all year, every year. 

The teacher in Ecclesiastes tried to find satisfaction in everything in life except God -- and came up empty. When we question our legacy, impact, meaning, and ministry, we get to trust in God's care and plan. In the days when we don't feel the hope, peace, joy, and love of the Messiah's arrival, maybe we can simply try to love the “Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength.” And as we do, then like the teacher realized at the end of his book, and even in the midst of this fragile and fleeting life, maybe God will help us find "true meaning and fulfillment... in reverence for God and enjoying life's simple blessings."