Striving After Wind

As I sit reading my Bible this morning, I need encouragement. The past 2 days have been, well, pretty cruddy. As a homeschooling mom, when your kids all of a sudden "forget" all that you have taught them over the past several months, it makes for some long days. When the housework is never ending, the to do list is a mile long, the 30 hours of continuing education you need to complete are barely touched, the plans for the kids 2016-2017 school year need to be figured out, and other responsibilities need to be met, it leaves a mom feeling quite overwhelmed.

So, as I sit reading my Bible, these are the words that come from the pages of Ecclesiastes - "Vanity of vanities! All is vanity. What does man gain by all the toil at which he toils under the sun?" And, "All streams run to the sea, but the sea is not full...All things are full of weariness; a man cannot utter it; the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing."

Well, at first look, these words seem quite depressing! "All is vanity (which, by the way, means worthless and futile)...what does a man gain by all the toil..." These words DO NOT seem to give much hope. Even in verse 13 of Ecclesiastes chapter 1, Solomon calls the work that God has given to man "an unhappy business," and later in the chapter equates it to "striving after wind." But, as I read these verses over and over, I begin seeing that there is encouragement to be found here.

On this earth, we are dealing with the effects of sin. When Adam and Eve sinned, the ground was cursed. Genesis 3:19 says, "By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread." So, yes, we have work set before us. The to do lists and the work before us will never fully be satisfied, just like without Christ in my life, I will never fully be satisfied. And that, dear friends, is where I find the hope and encouragement that I need this morning... In Jesus Christ. You see, in Christ, my story doesn't end in worthless and futile work. I have a God who has overcome the effects of sin in my life. I have a God who makes things that are futile and worthless, worthy. I have a God who brings satisfaction to an empty life. I have a God who gives purpose even in the mundane work of this life.

Oh Father, thank you for hope through Jesus Christ. Thank you for satisfaction in Him. Thank you that sin and death was not the end of the story. Thank you for life and purpose even in the everyday toil of this life.

Friends, may you feel God's grace upon your life today. As you go through your work, may you feel purpose through Jesus Christ.