9 What does the worker gain from his toil? 10 I have seen the burden that God has laid upon the sons of men to occupy them. 11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men, yet they cannot fathom the work that God has done from beginning to end.

12 I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice and do good while they live, 13 and also that every man should eat and drink and find satisfaction in all his labor—this is the gift of God. 14 I know that everything God does endures forever; nothing can be added to it or taken from it. God does it so that they should fear Him. 15 What exists has already been, and what will be has already been, for God will call to account what has passed.

REFLECTIONS

Written by Gus Cameron

Ecclesiastes has reflected on the futility of our hard work and toil. But today’s passage reminds us that there is someone whose work is not futile: God. God’s work is good and productive and beautiful. In Genesis 1 and 2 we read about how God worked to bring creation into being, and God saw that “it was good”. After God created human beings in his own image, he saw all he had made and “it was very good” (Genesis 1:31). Then, after all his work of creating, God rested. Unlike us, God can work and then find complete satisfaction and enjoyment in his work.

Ecclesiastes is showing us where to find happiness. We will never find it in our own work, but we will find it in God’s work. This is most clearly seen in God’s work of salvation. Ephesians 2:8-10 says, “For it is by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not from yourselves; it is the gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance as our way of life.”

Ecclesiastes tells us that God has put eternity in our hearts (v 11); but no matter how hard we work, no matter how good our works are, we cannot work our way to eternal life. But God’s works last forever, his gracious gift is to give us Christ Jesus. His work on the cross frees us to work in a new way, to serve God, doing the good work that God has given us to do.

Do you see the difference between our work and God’s work? Our hard work will always end in frustration, but God’s work lasts forever. The way to find happiness and satisfaction is come to Christ Jesus, give him your life and serve him as your Lord and saviour.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Gus is our Senior Assisant Minister.