Finding Meaning on Monday Morning - Ecclesiastes 2:18-26

So here's the contrasting perspective from Solomon's Journal without God.

Monday morning is just another meaningless arrival, but with God. Monday morning is another sign with… Monday morning is senseless and you get all that up in your eyes.

You really but with God it becomes without God. Monday morning is just another active directory with God. Monday morning gives opportunities for more devotion billing life affirming you know what the reality is most people only find frustration in the passage Stephen teaches today. Solomon acknowledge that our life and our job, whatever it might be is a gift from God our life under the sun is always enriched when we focus on God. So whether your work is writing computer code building houses or changing diapers, you'll only find satisfaction when you work to bring glory to God.

Here Stephen Davey with today's lesson I came across an article recently by a career guidance service that has analyzed 200 jobs in our culture and then rank them from best to worst, the best jobs they called dream jobs and the worst jobs they called non-dream jobs if you want to go live the dream he needed to follow. You know their advice as opposed according to their analysis among the top dream jobs were software engineers, financial planners, occupational therapists, and others did not dream jobs.

According to them were dishwashers, meter readers and roofers you wanted to dream job.

Work on the computer not on the roof since his early noon. In fact, none of that's true.

A few years ago excavations uncovered in Egypt of school text. It had been originally scribbled down by us by students. 1700 years before the birth of the Lord and they were copying down a text that is been assigned to them in the text was really career counseling. It was it was encouraging them to become scribes to get into academia and avoid other jobs so the text discourage them from other occupations like and I quote a small building contractor who carries my dirtier than pig as he becomes, from all that mud another line discourage them from becoming embalmers quote whose fingers are foul for the owner thereof another line warn them of becoming a laundry man because they would be washing the laundry on the river next to the crocodile beneath them. So the dream job would not be doing laundry, working at a funeral home or putting up a building dream job would be becoming scribe teacher writer friendly nothings changed in thousands of years. There are still those giving advice on what would dim fulfillment. What would be the dream job and if he just had it, then you really have, frankly, to this day. Monday morning is probably the most frustrating time in anybody's calendar as I go back to work as they drive or walk or whatever. Wondering is this really it is the bigger issue is that the world is desperately trying to find some kind of meaning for living and are trying to find it on Monday morning and they're trying to pursue it. And maybe they catch it if they had another one I different the frustration is only building effect one Journal article I came across report of the work is dominating Americans lives like never before. Workers are piling on hours at a rate not seen since the Industrial Revolution, but it's really not bringing fulfillment.

The article reported employees are feeling more and more insecure and unfulfilled work at this from a secular Journal work is not satisfying lives deepest need was not news and that's not new.

Frankly, Solomon discovered that centuries before those Egyptian schoolboys ever wrote down the advice they were given to avoid doing the laundry and I'm all about that advice. By the way gauge or your if anybody had a dream job. Solomon had it you could come up with a more dreamy occupation than the one he had known what he says about his career might surprise you to take your copy of Solomon's private journal called the book of Ecclesiastes of your new to our study. Go to chapter 2 where we left off. And while you're turning on a day at a time. Solomon is going to basically announce it is that a lot of jobs but none of them brought in any kind of fulfillment.

None of them brought satisfaction word chapter 2 and let's pick it up at verse 18 just the first phrase were Solomon blurts out. I hated all my toil in which I toil under the sun. You could paraphrase this to read.

I hated every job I ever had. Like you, Solomon tells how you really feel that we really feel. Maybe you've arrived here it is that you're feeling right now.

Glad I have a job but I hated I dread the next shift. I dread clocking in tomorrow morning. Just a thought to get in the car and and and adding to that job just makes my spirit St. Talmadge I saw was an old man he saw looking backward at all the jobs he ever had any comes to the conclusion I didn't like any of none of them satisfied. Sal is looking back at me saying he's filled with hate by the way, the word for hate is a word in the Hebrew language that can be translated, discussed or intends dislike is not a job on the planet I've ever had. He says that I didn't intensely dislike. Why was always going to give us several reasons why he hated Monday morning, so to speak it every day after is why everything he'd ever done left him unfulfilled. Beginning the first one of any before their ability to be in principle form the first reason why one is he's going to leave behind everything he's earned an account with verse 18 again.

I hated all my toil in which I toil under the sun.

Seeing that I must leave it to the man who will come after me everything he rattled off earlier in this journal about all those parks all those gardens all those orchards all those vineyards, all those houses it's hitting him as an old man it's it's confronting him that now somebody else is going on vacation and that part so many of the mothers furniture in the my house you know a day after I die going to leave it all behind Solomon really did want to share it with anybody remember the been with us you really want to offer himself earlier in this chapter. Remember how he emphasized in his journal the word I need myself. He says I built houses and planted vineyards for myself. He writes in verse four, I gathered myself silver and gold was all mine's offer me.

So what's driving him to distraction is the fact that he's going to leave every behind somebody else and it distresses the second reason Solomon is feeling entirely unfulfilled, is that he can't guarantee that what he leaves behind will be managed well with verse 19 and who knows whether he will be wise or a fool.

Who knows if these do not handle this or not, yet he will be master of all, for which I toil and use my wisdom under the sun.

This also is vanity this is vanity. This is frustration. This is futility is basically saying the futility of the thought that somebody is going to inherit everything that I've accomplished and they are probably that StreetSmarts there probably not have the business savvy to manage it as well as I've managed is concern that an unworthy air is going to take everything in inherit what is built, there are many Old Testament scholars that have been researching for our studies and most of them believe that he has a real poem in mind when he writes this is younger son or the son he has is going to sit on the throne.

It is arrogant, spoiled, foolish Solomon is worried that his legacy is in general asked one generation will let me tell you if he only knew his worries is a Nolasco.

We by the time you get about day 10 after the death of Solomon ramp blows it all away to think of the newspapers today that are filled with stories of wealthy errors squander the inheritances of their parents is slaved away decades of difficulty and hard work, and they inherited and they just partied away. But what about somebody that did want to carry on the legacy you establish a circular partied away, but they just couldn't care less about what you've done with your life when they don't care about parks what one of they don't care about palaces invalid outdoors and backpack with a little care vineyards, orchards they don't want any of that. What then when the authors I'm reading my study wrote about his childhood out in this neighborhood store in his area where he lived that he had one of those either one of those as well.

He said it was open early in the morning didn't close until late at night Batman test that start running seven days a week. He wrote I never saw Batman outside that store except that the crack of dawn is walking his dog bothering Maddie limited his wife. Every so often would come over behind the counter. This man devoted his entire life to the little neighborhood star Becky died in that story, helping a customer's author writes in his early 20s.

This man passed away in a few days later, that store was up for sale and that man's wife was showing everybody the brochure of the cruise. She was going to take around the world with the money she got from that story.

The city could always hear the proprietor rolling over in his grave. Solomon is driven to distraction. What's gonna happen to this business was going to happen to those parks. These houses that balance this kingdom and its driven them to hate Monday morning, so to speak, and everything you can find fulfillment in he's terribly worried about what happens after he's gone. Thirdly, Solomon writes this in principle form.

He can't enjoy his accomplishments because they will be enjoyed by somebody you didn't work for them to get some self absorbed. Here is our example. But he still put it out there and he sees putting in writing. What a lot of people think maybe we think it is well verse 20. So I turned about gave my heart up to despair. Overall the toil of our labors of the sun because sometimes a person is torn with wisdom and knowledge and skill must leave everything to be enjoyed keyword there enjoyed somebody who didn't toil for slave over they do sweat over there to know. Enjoy this also is vanity had a great Evo.

I mean he says this just isn't right. Somebody can enjoy apples from that orchard and plant that three somebody's gonna stroll through that part didn't spend hours building. I spent hours designing those palaces with the architects soon as I'm dead. Some is to move their furniture in the bedroom. I mean, this can't be right. She Solomon is old enough and he's giving us practical wisdom from his journal, but why would this bother him so. So what if somebody eats apples from a tree planted. They didn't. So what if somebody enjoys a stroll through part and you planted the flower so if somebody moves into that house he built why why is that such a big problem to Solomon driving in this such distraction were given a clue in his fourth complaint, and here's the complaint in principle form that will look at the text before he worked around the clock to buy everything he could, which left him little time to enjoy anything.

He had.

That's why that's why the keyword is joy in verse 22.

What has a man from all the toil and striving of heart which he toils beneath the sun for all his days are full of sorrow in his work is a maddening frustration even in the night his heart doesn't rest get a cell phone on answer email. Here's the swish of the covenant was found can't turn it off, even at night. His heart doesn't rest. This also is futility. See here's the point. Solomon never enjoyed those apples.

Solomon never enjoy taking a stroll in the park he never enjoyed his palace he he's like one of the kings of Great Britain. I learned recently. Centuries ago, built a palace he never once this is beautiful by the river to the problem isn't with palaces.

It isn't with possession of the problem is priorities. The problem isn't with our things. The problem is with our thinking we put it this way. It's not wrong to have things money can buy unless you have no interest in things money cannot buy.

Solomon is excluded God from the equation. He can't then enjoy whatever it is he's been building. He can't just sit and enjoy the view because he squandering any squander decades of his life without God. Maybe I'll find meeting on Monday if I work harder if I move faster if I did earlier maybe significance will greet me when I got a chance that with that is backdrop Solomon makes this surprising turn in his journal to a six time. This is the first of six times he's going to straighten everything out. He's going to move away from his testimony need him to tell us what's right and what he should do and if you go back to his testimony in his years of wandering, so let me take what is gonna give us input them into principle form as we go through the rest of this chapter is the first principle your station in life is a gift from the hand of God. Verse 24. There's nothing better for a person than that he should eat and drink and find enjoyment in his toil. This also. I saw as a is from the hand of God, for apart from him he would exclude him who can ease origin have enjoyment. This is the first time you notice Solomon talks about really truly enjoying anything. Is joy anything a set pleasures, but not enjoyment and suddenly he's talking here about enjoying your meal, your food, your job, one author wrote that that this is like a beam of light, a shaft of light inspired lights you know beaming through breaking through the gloom of this journal. Solomon hates his job and now he enjoys his job. What made the difference, the perspective God has brought this up now that I'm in the hand of God that I'm receiving what I have from God to God alone belongs Lori for whatever is is accomplished and I can enjoy this because God is allowing me to experience this is the apostle Paul writing to Timothy that God gives us all things to enjoy for 7670.

It's a gift from the hand of God, which means satisfied life can be found when you stop looking for another one life. The truly satisfies can only be found and enjoyed. When we stop looking for another demanding from God, but accepting what God has given us in making the most of it. Williams translates it this way is he a records prescription 717, where Paul is encouraging the Corinthian believers any rights everyone needs to continue to live in the station where the Lord has assigned and that doesn't mean you can't change your job.

You might long for the day when you can quit that job working on computer code be up there on that roof with that guy shingle old man that is the job like that pilot who wrote his testimony. I read some time ago and he said when I was a little boy had been fishing down there that stream and it was in the quarter were of of the international airport when those planes flew overhead, I'd look up.

He said all I long to one day be flying and he said now as a pilot I fly over that stream. And I think all how I long to be ashamed we find our satisfaction in the hand of God who was ultimately shepherding the line. Principle number two your station in life should produce gratitude for the grace of God. He writes in verse 26 before to the one who pleases him. Though Miss don't.

Don't misunderstand that Hebrews 11 six tells us that without faith is. It is impossible to please him so is talking about the believer's relationship with God has what given wisdom and knowledge, and joy, but to the unredeemed the center, the unbeliever, he has given the business of gathering and collecting another word that's all the lover do his work 9 to 5 or nine benign or look forward to the weekend and read Monday that although they've excluded God from the equation. Although ever do is gather and collect many makes this veiled reference which is another study would always let me mention it here of the redeemed one day inheriting the year where he says this. He's given the business to the unbeliever of gathering and collecting only to give to the one who pleases him the one in relationship to him. What Jesus would say in Matthew chapter 5 the me the believer will one day inherit your all they do deny him is gather collapse, only to lose it all. In the end. Solomon writes this also is vanity and a striving after wind. The only things I'll ever get is a fistful of their so here's the contrasting perspective from Solomon's Journal, we can apply translated into the vernacular of our lives to this day without God.

Monday morning is just another meaningless arrival, but with God.

Monday morning is another assignment without Monday morning is senseless and you get old enough in your eyes.

He really is. But with God it becomes sacred without God. Monday morning is just another active directory with God. Monday morning gives opportunities for more devotion.

See Monday morning were can be just as meaningful as Sunday morning worship. The problem is we have to revive that Reformation doctrine of vocation thought about the fact that nowhere in your Bible is the phrase full-time Christian service. Nowhere. Why does every one of us are full-time in Christian service. So whatever you're doing. Writing code or doing laundry a referral or a dishwasher that your assignment for now from God. He may Shepherd due in a different direction. One day, for now, that's it.

Make the most of take that assignment on in the by the way that you serve in the way that you work demonstrate that which builds a bridge in the lives of those around you because they can understand why you would ever show up on Sunday morning with the song instead of saw I saw that played out yesterday in in real life. Yesterday I dropped off a package at the post office.

The little one down here on Tryon Road. Nobody knows it's there don't you start going there. The lines are very short that two or three of us in their was only one guy working behind the counter. I put them in his late 20s early 30s that never seen before and I could hear music playing in the background could make out in a what it what it was. Every once in light which asserted absentmindedly as he was working just a single one of the phrases I could make out what he was saying he just he was having a great time when it was my turn at the counter.

I joke with them at the post office on a double salary because he is not only serving us, but doing it with a song that he kinda laughed and weighed my package and send another line and then I realized it was a Christian song of the Christian artist, but out of his little boombox.

He had there with a CD in. I stood there thinking while singing the Nino is working in the post office. Many people are going to show up with joy and a song on their lives and I wanted to say something but really couldn't think of anything. This he handed me my receipt. After a couple of seconds and he looked at me and he said God is in total control of all I could say was a member of Raymond C. That guy taken God to work with them got it done right along with so instead of the psi song and he's delivering to his world as God gives him opportunity. The message Solomon writes here, everything is from the hand of God. God is in control, which means the only life that satisfies the life that finds its satisfaction and its meaning. Monday so let's go and fulfill our mutual assignment of bringing glory to God in whatever work or tasks.

He's given us. This is wisdom for the heart are Bible teacher is Stephen Davey. If you missed a portion of this lesson, or if you tuned in late