The Teacher has many moments of pessimism. Here is one of them (chapter 9:7–10)

“Go, eat your food with gladness, and drink your wine with a joyful heart,

for it is now that God favors what you do

[Comment: is this how we feel sometimes].

 Always be clothed in white, and always anoint your head with oil

[Comment - look your best – outward appearances].

 Enjoy life with your wife, whom you love,

all the days of this meaningless life that God has given you

under the sun – all your meaningless days.

FOR THIS IS YOUR LOT in life and in your toilsome labor under the sun.

Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might,

for in the grave, where you are going,

there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom.”

The Teacher, in chapter 9, is now focusing on a potential commonality for all of us when we die. He has taken eternal life out of the equation and, in essence, is simply saying, do what you wish, how you wish; be merry, have fun, work hard and enjoy your time ‘under the sun’ all your days. When you die, you will be eaten by worms, and that is it.

For him there is no difference between those that are wicked and those that are good. It is purely whether you are alive and whether you are enjoying your live experience, even though you must work hard in order to enjoy it.

What the teacher does declare is that it ultimately is all in God’s hands. The reality for most of us is that we focus on the pessimistic viewpoint of life. Our tendency is not to focus on, or see, the positives in the things around us.

It is on this point that I want us to realign our thoughts on Our God and Our King. The above does not have to be our lot. We are called to see things from Jesus’s viewpoint, not from the despair of the natural world.

Read the some of the words from this song, listen to the simplicity of them, and then reflect on the reality of following Christ.

All Sons and Daughters – My God, My King

I will sing, sing, sing to my God, my King.

For all else fades away.

And I will love, love, love with the heart You’ve made.

For You’ve been good always.