nothing better

There is nothing better for a person than that he should eat and drink and find enjoyment in his toil. This also, I saw, is from the hand of God, for apart from him who can eat or who can have enjoyment?

Ecclesiastes 2:24-25

The daily stuff of life… from my first cup of coffee in the morning, to a restful sleep when I lay my head on the pillow at night, are gifts from a God Who cares for me in love. Life is a gift to be enjoyed with a grateful heart. Yes, there are times it is tedious and less than exciting. Eternal perspectives are challenged daily. But when I see it as a daily gift from my Creator, these hard times gain perspective and make even the simplest pleasures more pleasant. These simple gifts can point me to eternity. There is then a perspective that draws me above the mundane tedium of what can feel like repetitive boredom. My Creator gives my days meaning as I receive life from Him and give it back to Him with praise.

There is joy in this journey and it is not to be confused with the ultimate joy in the destination. My life is not earthbound, but heaven sent and heaven directed. As I enjoy God and His good gifts in my days on earth, I get a deeper longing for how forever will be with Him! When contentment comes in my daily work, even with struggles, fighting my own sin and relational struggles compounded by wrong, the peace of God rules above what Solomon observed as “vanity and vexation of soul”. If I only look to the material universe, I will lose joy quickly and find only dissatisfaction. Routine and sameness quickly drown joy. My thoughts have to rise higher!

Praise God there is more! And ultimately Jesus calls us to the joy of life in Him. In John 10:10 He offers an overflowing joy to all who believe Him: “I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” In following Jesus I chase after and am rewarded with this abundant life that enlightens all my daily tasks. Jesus helps me find joy in work (even physical toil), in my life (even in the mind-numbing sameness), and in the simple gifts of my day-to-day experiences. I will follow Jesus now and forever and in Him I will know the enjoyment of life.