Only Christ Can Satisfy

Ecclesiastes 6:3-9:
“If a man begets a hundred children and lives many years, so that the days of his years are many, but his soul is not satisfied with goodness, or indeed he has no burial, I say that a stillborn child is better than he—for it comes in vanity and departs in darkness, and its name is covered with darkness. Though it has not seen the sun or known anything, this has more rest than that man, even if he lives a thousand years twice—but has not seen goodness. Do not all go to one place? All the labor of man is for his mouth, and yet the soul is not satisfied. For what more has the wise man than the fool? What does the poor man have, who knows how to walk before the living? Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of desire. This also is vanity and grasping for the wind.”

Solomon writes that even if a man is blessed with great things in this life, but does not have the rest to enjoy them, that he is worse off than a stillborn child, who at least has rest. Rest is something that can be hard to come by, especially in our modern world. We carry around devices that are designed to attract our attention and so deprive us of rest. Screens are an ever-present reality, cluttering the walls of restaurants and even showing up at gas station pumps. Smart phones, social media, constant television coverage of even the most mundane events all seek to grab our attention and hold us captive to the flow of information, much which is worthless. How many stories will you read today, and not remember tomorrow?

The constant chatter of our plugged-in and hyperconnected age draws our attention to vanities that do not last, and away from that which is lasting, our Lord Jesus Christ. Our screens encourage us to direct our gaze to them, to seek the frivolous and temporary, rather than the lasting and eternal. But our restless age affects more than the media that we consume. Those hours that are not eaten away by distraction are often spent trying to make money and get ahead in the world.

Solomon gives us an example of a man who is blessed with great things. He has wealth, children, and possessions. Yet his position is not enviable because he does not have the rest to enjoy it. Many people spend their lives chasing money, power, or status. They work untold hours, sometimes for genuine need, but often just to accumulate wealth and fill their barns with riches and material goods. They work not for what is necessary, but so that they will be able to have luxuries and fine foods. If you work long hours and provide for your family and your neighbors, this is good; you do well. Likewise, you do well if you can enjoy some luxuries, such as a night out at a good restaurant or a glass of fine scotch. Yet don’t forget that the money that you make will not, in the end, bring you peace. The food and drink that you seek will be consumed, the cars and clothes will wear out, and you will be left hungering for more. All the labor of man is for his mouth, and yet the soul is not satisfied.

The hunger of our souls can only be satisfied through Jesus Christ, who came into our flesh to suffer death and bring us back to God. He gives us peace and rest. In Holy Communion Jesus gives us His Body to eat and His perfect Blood to drink for the forgiveness of our sins. This heavenly meal fills us and satisfies our longing for spiritual rest. Jesus is that living bread which has come down from heaven, which gives eternal life to all who believe. We have true rest in Jesus because we know the He provides for us. He has done it all. As the Father’s baptized children, we rest in His promises, knowing that we are at peace with God.

-Pastor Pope