The Mystery is Our Only Hope

One of my favorite books of the bible is Ecclesiastes. I've read it about 3 or 4 times. (Maybe because it's so short! ha) But I think the main reason is because I relate to Solomon so much in this book. I find myself all of the time asking God, "Why am I here (on this earth)?". Don't get me wrong, I'm not suicidal or depressed... But sometimes I feel like everything is meaningless. What is the meaning in fitting in, being cool, or living up to people's standards and trying to please everyone? I feel like Ecclesiastes is the perfect book for a new believer in Christ. If a new believer can grasp the idea that this world has nothing to offer us, and Jesus is the only reason we live, I believe we could literally change the world. To live as Jesus lived without roaming around "chasing the wind" as Solomon put it all throughout Ecclesiastes. Ecc. 7:13-14 "Accept the way God does things, for who can straighten what he has made crooked?" 14 "Enjoy prosperity while you can, but when hard times strike, realize that both come from God. Remember that nothing is certain in this life." So from that verse we learn that God gives and takes away, and that nothing is certain! So why do we walk through life pretending that we have it all together? Why, if God is in complete control of our lives, do we as Christians waste so much time trying to build the "American Dream"? I'll leave you with one more verse, and it's my favorite verse in the entire bible. In fact, if you have time, please read all of Ecc. 12!! But here's the verse. Ecc. 12:1 "Don't let the excitement of youth cause you to forget your Creator. Honor him in your youth before you grow old and say, "Life is not pleasant anymore."" So, since we know God has every minute pre-ordained, lets quit chasing after things that are fleeting, and let the mystery of God be our hope.