The book of Ecclesiastes has always mystified me. If all is vanity, why even try? Ecc. 1:9 stopped me in my tracks the other day. “What has been will be again; what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.” 

Talk about hopelessness.

But now I sort of get it. What’s happening in our country is nothing new when you zoom out and review world history. Human nature is human nature, and sometimes it’s horrific. Pendulums swing. Nations rise and nations fall. It’s happened before and it will happen again.

It would seem like a book of “too bad for you” except for the last four verses.

“The words of the wise prod us to live well. They’re like nails hammered home, holding life together. They are given by God, the one Shepherd. But regarding anything beyond this, dear friend, go easy. There’s no end to the publishing of books, and constant study wears you out so you’re no good for anything else. The last and final word is this:  Fear God. Do what he tells you. And that’s it. Eventually God will bring everything that we do out into the open and judge it according to its hidden intent, whether it’s good or evil.” Ecc. 12:11-14 (The Message)

(I understand the word “fear” to mean to take him seriously and stand in awe of him, not to be afraid of him.)

This gives me hope. “The words of the wise prod us to live well.” I don’t know how things will turn out, but if I take God seriously and stay obedient to Pure Love (my code name for God, per 1 John 4:8), that’s it. That’s all I can do. That’s all I’m asked to do. God will take care of the rest.

It would be easy to miss the ironic power of those four verses.