The Emptiness of Earthly Gain

"I said in mine heart, Go to now, I will prove thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure: and, behold, this also is vanity. I said of laughter, It is mad: and of mirth, What doeth it? I sought in mine heart to give myself unto wine, yet acquainting mine heart with wisdom; and to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was that good for the sons of men, which they should do under the heaven all the days of their life. I made me great works; I builded me houses; I planted me vineyards: I made me gardens and orchards, and I planted trees in them of all kind of fruits: I made me pools of water, to water therewith the wood that bringeth forth trees: I got me servants and maidens, and had servants born in my house; also I had great possessions of great and small cattle above all that were in Jerusalem before me: I gathered me also silver and gold, and the peculiar treasure of kings and of the provinces: I gat me men singers and women singers, and the delights of the sons of men, as musical instruments, and that of all sorts. So I was great, and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom remained with me. And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them, I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced in all my labour: and this was my portion of all my labour. Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun" (Eccl. 2:1-11). As the ancient king Solomon found out, there is absolutely NOTHING in and of this present life and world that can truly satisfy and make complete the hearts of men. The list that Solomon made here could go on and on, and it includes family, romantic love, friendship, and EVERYTHING ELSE that can be had, attained to, or experienced in this life. The difference between Solomon and most other people is that he had the wisdom and honesty to acknowledge this condition of the heart, and a whole lot of other folks do not have enough of either to be able to admit even to themselves that nothing in this life really gets the job done in the heart. Plenty of things bring momentary satisfaction, thrill, pleasure, or whatever; but the bottom line is that regardless of what you have or accomplish, it will all leave you unfulfilled even as it did Solomon. And if you put your hope and security in anything or anyone of this world, it or they will eventually fail you. There is in fact no other possibility.

There is however something available today that was not available to Solomon, which is indeed THE ONLY cure to the incomplete and dissatisfied state of mankind. Jesus told a woman of Samaria exactly what that cure is, and who you must get it from: "Now Jacob's well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well: and it was about the sixth hour. There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink. (For his disciples were gone away unto the city to buy meat.) Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans. Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water. The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water? The woman saith unto him, Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw. Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life" (Jn. 4:6-15). There it is my friend, the only cure to the incomplete and discontent state of all mankind. Jesus died for the sins of all men, rose again on the third day, and ascended back to heaven forty days later; so that he could pour out this "living water" into the souls of any and all who will fully believe on him and entrust their lives to his care and guidance (Acts 1:3-5). That is what John the Baptist said Jesus was coming to provide, and Jesus plainly said that the infilling of these "living waters" is the result of true faith in him for ALL who believe: "In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. [But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.]" (Jn. 7:37-39). Yes my friend, the blessed holy Spirit of God filling the heart and soul of the true believer, IS the promise of the gospel, and it is certain that it is the only way for man's incomplete state to be made complete; and thereby true satisfaction and contentment of heart be attained to (Acts 1:4,5; Acts 2:33; Gal. 3:14; I Cor. 12:13; Col. 2:10; Tit. 3:5). And therein is the saying of Jesus fulfilled: "Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled" (Mat. 5:6). Amen.