The book of Ecclesiastes, written by the preacher widely understood to be King Solomon, confronts one of life’s most uncomfortable truths: we are not as in control as we think we are. The Hebrew word hevel, often translated as vanity, means breath or vapor, something real and beautiful but impossible to hold onto. Life in the real world is something we cannot keep, cannot control, and cannot fully figure out. We build careers, raise families, and accumulate accomplishments, only to find that the world keeps spinning long after we are gone. But this is not a message of despair. Because Jesus entered this world of hevel, experienced its sorrow and injustice, and rose from the dead, we have a hope that is not rooted in our own ability to master life. Wisdom begins not with having all the answers, but with trusting the God who holds everything we cannot.
Scripture: Ecclesiastes 1:1-18
