Like Morning Mist

Life is fleeting, like a passing mist. It is like trying to catch hold of a breath; All vanishes like a vapor; everything is a great vanity. Ecc 1:1 the voice

Toule Fog. It’s what my husband calls the morning mist that we see in the open spaces by our home. It generally appears when the temperatures are cool and the humidity is high. It rests just above the ground covering the fields with a blanket of white. If you run through it, it dissipates then vanishes. If you reach your hand through it, it has no substance that you can hold on to. This is the picture I have in my mind as I read the first few passages in the book of Ecclesiastes. The wise Teacher of Israel, most think it is King Solomon, is giving his wise reflections on life in this book. One of the most used words in this book is the Hebrew word, “hebel”. While hard to translate, its general meaning is breath or vapor. In this book, the wise Teacher implies that life is fleeting, like a breath or morning mist. It suggests that everything lack permanence and, after careful examination of life the Teacher makes this conclusion…everything is futile, pointless or meaningless. So what can we learn from a book like this? If life is all meaningless, what is the point of life? Why are we here? What is our purpose? Surely there has to be something more?

The truth is life, while mundane and routine, can have meaning, can have purpose. We all have the urge to look for the true meaning of life. The desire for something more to this life is fulfilled in Jesus Christ.

In Christ alone my hope is found…He is my light, my strength, my song…

God created us to fulfill one purpose, to love and worship Him. But sin separated us from Him and our purpose became lost. But God revealed His love to us by sending His son Jesus to make right what sin made wrong. Jesus revealed His love by dying on the cross and taking on our penalty for sin. His grace and forgiveness have made it possible for us to see our purpose clearly once again. With Jesus, we can go through this life with joy in the midst of difficulties, rather than despair. We can look ahead with hope because we can spend eternity with Christ.

Please join me as we explore the richness of the book of Ecclesiastes. You will see that there is more to this life, for the true meaning of life is in Jesus Christ.