Vanity, Vanity, all is Vanity (Ecclesiastes)

I don't know why I am drawn to this book called Ecclesiastes. It has been so for the past few years especially since I turned 55 years old. I preached a whole message based on the theme - "Enjoy the fruits of your labour" in Sipitang in Sept 2019. As a young Christian, all I know and can remember is that famous verse - "vanity, vanity all is vanity". If all is in vain, what is the purpose of living on earth? Solomon asked that existential question right in the beginning of the book: "What does a person gain in all his labour that he toils under the sun?" (Eccle 1:3). As this question comes after the author's sigh of pessimism in verse 2 and the self-introduction in verse 1, it would mean that the answer to this question is the main theme or topic in the book.

I read from Eccle 10-12 yesterday afternoon and then in the evening I read from Eccle 7-9 which is half the book and this morning I read the first couple of chapters before writing this blogpost. What do I gain in all my labour? As a graduate in the workforce since early 1987, I have worked for 35 years, three decades and a half. It is a long time. If you count the five years of University study which was also hard work, it would be a total of 40 years in hard toil, study and work most of the time. What do I gain from all my labour? To labour even more? Or to think I should work longer and harder? Or get back to the job market or paid ministry? If one has worked for 35 years, one must read the book of Ecclesiastes to understand the purpose of it all and act according to the book's teachings so that one might not regret before it is too late. I would counsel like Solomon for those who have worked for more than 30 years to stop or pause for a moment and reflect on his life and his future in this short life. Just think that by the time you have worked for 35 years, you are near 60 years old. Perhaps with good health one has a decade of good life to spend one's life earnings before old age catches with everyone, once past 70. If after working for 35 years, we are still worried about work or our savings, and have not started even living or enjoying the fruits of our labour, then where will we end up? Solomon laments that there are many that will not enjoy the fruits of their labour but will simply leave their hard-earned cash or possessions to one who comes after him (Eccle 2:18-21). In fact, Solomon already indicated the way to go about evaluating one's labours, that is "to take delight from all my toil- the reward for all my labour". With that, he listed a series of things he did or possessed - increased possessions, built himself houses, planted vineyards (2:4), purchased male and female servants and acquired male and female singers (2:7-8). And he ends by saying, "There is nothing better for people than to eat and drink, and to find enjoyment in their labour". As for me, I started experiencing a little of that when I was 55 years old. I bought myself my first iPhone. I owned more than one laptop, both Apple and Windows. I bought a new car, but a few who knew said, "wah, pastor got another car?" or "pastor bought a new car?!" with envy and not sharing the joy of God's goodness towards His servants. Some of my friends said that a car is just a mode of transport from point A to B and one friend in particular had driven his old four-wheel drive mainly in the city for close to 20 years. But I drive out of enjoyment. I enjoy driving my cars, especially one with Apple CarPlay which I could plug in my phone with music and have Waze and Google Maps. Even emojis on Waze kill boredom during the many traffic jams one endures on KK's roads. And I don't owe to anyone or indebted to any banks or lenders. It is all God's goodness and generosity to those who take delight in Him and do righteousness with rejoicing!