WIND-RIDER not WIND-CHASER
Ecclesiastes journals the struggles and despair of Solomon who set his heart to seek – pursue academics, wealth, wine, women and all the pleasures of the world.
Have you tried to catch the wind? What do you get in your hands when you try to grab the wind? NOTHING… and that is exactly what the world-seeker gets for all his effort in chasing the wind. [Rf Ecc 5:16]
By contrast, the Psalms journal the highs & lows of David and other Psalmists as they set their hearts to seek GOD.
God saw our foolish worldly quests and our struggles to overcome the world and seek Him with all our hearts. Christmas tells the story of how God had compassion on us, and sent His Son to rescue us from the treadmill of wind-chasing.
✝️In Christ, we are no longer wind-chasers being led by fox-fire world-wisdom.
🕊️Instead, we have the Holy Spirit to be the wind in our sails, gently powering us to go in the right direction.
🕊️The Holy Spirit is the wind beneath our wings, lifting us above the storms of life to give us a God’s-eye-view of life and circumstances.
💨Wind-chasers run to gain love and are disappointed. [Ec 7:26-28]
🕊️In Christ the love of God has been poured into our hearts to fill our every need for love. [Rom 5:5]
💨Wind-chasers run to find meaning to life and wisdom. [Rf Ec 1:13]
🕊️ Christ is the treasure-house of God’s wisdom, and we receive Him as a gift. [Rf Col 2:4, 1 Cor 1:30]
💨Wind-chasers run to find joy but are filled with despair. [Ec 2:1-3]
🕊️God-chasers are crowned with everlasting joy as they abide in the love of Christ.
[Rf Is 35:10, Ps 16:11, John 15:11, 1 Pet 1:8]
💨Wind-chasers run to find success & honour. [Ec 2:4-11]
🕊️In Christ, we are heirs of God, kings & priests unto Him [Rf Rev 1:5-6, Rom 8:17]
💨Wind-chasers struggle to find peace. [Ec 4:8, 5:10, 6:7]
🕊️God-seekers receive it as a gift from Him. [Rf John 14:27]
💨Wind-chasers are filled with despair as everything is impermanent, and all work seems futile. [Ec 2:22-23]
🕊️God-seekers rise on the wings of His love to look beyond the temporal to catch a glimpse of eternity – to see the eternal inheritance & eternity of love that God has prepared for those who pursue Him. [Rf 1 Pet 1:3-5, Eph 2:7]
Solomon was a wind-chaser and ended tired and weary, full of sorrow that he had wasted his youth, and no longer knew how to correct his paths. [Rf Ecc 2:20, Ecc 4:13]
🦅Job & David were God-chasers. In the midst of their storms, they found that the Everlasting Arms of God were underneath them, bearing them up, lifting them above the wind and waves.
🦅Like eagles, they had learnt the secret of riding the wind.
🦅Jesus invites us to take His hand, and learn from Him how to stop being a wind-chaser, and learn instead how to be a Wind-Rider… gliding in the power of the Holy Spirit.
[Rf Matt 11:28-30]
Lord Jesus teach me to be a “wind-rider” rather than a “wind-chaser”. You are the treasure that I seek. Help me to recognize and overcome distractions. For Your Name’s sake. Amen.
AD
Panacea For Vanity
“I know that nothing is better for them than to rejoice and to do good in their lives”.(3:12)
This verse proves that despite his utter despair about life, Solomon has not forgotten about certain things that brighten it up. As the observation emanates from the varied experiences of the ‘wisest of the wise’ who has seen both extremes of life, it is worth listening to.
Two worthy things:-
- Rejoice. Joy is a gift of God. Man’s personality consists of Godliness and devilishness. Those who have more than 50% of Godliness in them, only will be able to rejoice and to see goodness in everything.
At the same time, those with more than 50% of devilishness in their blood can be easily identified at first sight. They have no joy, they have poor sight (to see goodness); always grumbling and complaining. They need urgent treatment. There is a panacea for this illness which is prescribed in the second part of this verse:-
- Do good. The moment you start thinking good about others and doing good for them, you will find the count of Godliness in the blood, shooting up.
The face will brighten up. The patient will start smiling. Grumbling and complaining will subside. Symptoms of selfishness will disappear. Their hearts will be stable with thoughts about others’ goodness.
It will be easier for God to work in such people.
Although to Solomon life is vanity, God can make our lives meaningful.
George Joseph Trivandrum.