The Conclusion

Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind. Ecclesiastes 12:13 NIV

When you read the account of Ecclesiastics, you may be tempted to think it was written by someone like Paul, one with a deeply spiritual encounter with God, one who walked with God very closely all his life. The words are deep and fundamental to our purpose on earth, and the book establishes just what is important. The lessons put the person who wrote it in perspective.

Solomon lived a good life. In fact, he once claimed that there was nothing his eye or heart desired that he did not give it. He lived the physical life to the full, but at a point, he concluded on the vanity of possessions, position, power and influence. Solomon was the richest man on record anywhere in the world, yet we remember him more for the wrong reasons. He taught us the importance of time, he showed us the value of hard work, he emphasized the quality of diligence, silence and wisdom, but unfortunately, he was more of a preacher than a doer. He showed us what was necessary, but his life followed a different path. How am I living my life today? Can the world around me match the values of God's Word to the values that are apparent in my life?

At the end of all his pursuits, Solomon must have realized what was truly important- the fear of God. You can have all that the world can give, it is useless in the day of God's wrath. You can have the best the world can give, it will not save you from the lake of fire. What will matter at the end of my stay on earth won't be what people said about me, but what God says about me. I must live daily in his fear, I must be guided by his Word and Spirit, I must live in the consciousness of accountability. One day, I must render account of my stewardship to God, and nobody will stand with me on that day.

Would I live like the Preacher or live like Jesus? Am I paying lip service to God, while my heart is far away from him? Am I conscious of eternity, doing all I can to obey God, fully aware that one day, he is coming back? The decision is mine alone, the consequences of my decision are eternal. His time of favour is here.