A LIFE OF FUTILITY

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A LIFE OF FUTILITY

 Have you ever felt that life was futile?

You know, a deadening routine.  Get up in the 

morning.  Go to work and come home tired

and go to bed.  Get up the next morning and 

go to work.  Come home tired and go to bed.

Get up the next morning...... you know the 

routine.

Solomon the wisest man that ever lived on 

the face of the earth observed this futility. 

This man accomplish or acquired everything

most of us could ever want or dream of.

Look at what he had to say about all the 

goods and accomplishments of his life.

 

"I said to myself, 'Come on, let's try pleasure,

Let's look for the 'good things' in life.'  But I

found that this too, was meaningless.  So I said,

Laughter is silly.  What good does it do to seek

pleasure?' After much thought, I decided to

cheer myself with wine.  And while still seeking

wisdom.  I clutched at foolishness.  In this way

I tried to experience the only happiness most

people find during their brief life in this world.

I also tried to find meaning by building

huge homes for myself and by planting beauty-

ful vineyards.  I made gardens and parks, fill-

ing them with all kinds of fruit trees.  I built

reservoirs to collect the water to irrigate my

many flourishing groves.  I bought slaves, both

men and women, and others were born into my

household.  I also owned large herds and flocks,

more than any of the kings who had lived in

Jerusalem before me.  I collected great sums

of silver and gold, the treasure of many kings.

and provinces.  I hired wonderful singers, both

men and women, and had many beautiful con-

cubines.  I had everything a man could desire!

So I became greater than all who had lived

in Jerusalem before me, and my wisdom never

failed me.  Anything I wanted, I would take,

I denied myself no pleasure.  I even found

great pleasure in hard work, a reward for all

my labors.  But as I looked at everything I

had worked so hard to accomplish, it was all

so meaningless - like chasing the wind.  There

was nothing really worthwhile anywhere."

(Ecclesiastes 2:1-11 NLT)

   

So, what is the use?

He ends his writing with this advice.

"That's the whole story.  Here now is my final

conclusion: Fear God and obey his commands,

for this is everyone's duty, God will judge us

for everything we do, including every secret

thing, whether good or bad."  

(Ecclesiastes 12:13 NLT)

Then Jesus Christ said it another way.

"Beware! Guard against every form of greed.

Life is not measured by how much you own.

(Luke 12:15 NLT) 

Also;

"And what do you benefit if you gain the whole

world but lose your own soul?  Is anything

worth more than your soul?"  

(Matthew 16:26 NLT)

Then, God through the Apostle Pauls said;

"After all, we brought nothing with us

when we came into the world, and we

can't take anything with us when we

leave it." 

(1 Timothy 6:7 NLT)

Of course, you can waste your life anyway

you want.  You can chase after fame, fortune

and pleasure if you want.  But, you will loose

it all.

But, as for myself I choose to chase after or

serve Jesus Christ the vary creator of the universe

so that when I depart this life I can live  with him

forever.

FUTILITY

This is a picture of futility.

It is made with corn, potatoes and other stuff.

My wife found a recipe that sounded good to her.

Sounded fine to me too.  That is, if she made it.

She started on it the other day.  It was plain old

every day had work.  Husking the corn.  Then cutting

the corn off the cob.  Pealing and cutting up the potatoes,

cooking it for about a day and a half, etc, etc, etc.

In fact, it was so much work she decided she would

never make it again - no matter how it tasted.

It finished up this after noon.  After tasting it -

she threw the recipe away.  I ate a bowl full.

Yes, she did the right thing when she threw the

recipe away.

All the hard work for nothing.  Futility.

I have no idea how much money and time I have

wasted on cars, motorcycles, tools, cameras and other

toys.  All of it was futility.

Years ago I heard a saying that went something like this:

"Only one life it will soon be past,

only what's done for Christ will

last."  

How true.  How true.

So much that I have done over my lifetime was wasted -

futile.  Some day I am going to stand before God and

give an account of my life.  With God's help I want to

make what is left of life count for him.

CAUSE OF FUTILITY

Leaving God out of your plans
causes futility.

"If the Lord does not build the house

the work of the builders is useless;

(Photos courtesy of:www.Pixabay.com)

if the Lord does not protect the city,

it does no good for the sentries to 

stand guard.

It is useless to work so hard

for a living, getting up early

and going to bed late.

For the Lord provides for those he loves,

while they are asleep."

(Psalms 127:1,2 GNT)

Put God in control of your life 

to cut out the futility.