Don’t Lose Sight of Future Glory

By Samantha Rodriguez

“So I reflected on all this and concluded that the righteous and the wise and what they do are in God’s hands, but no one knows whether love or hate awaits them. All share a common destiny—the righteous and the wicked, the good and the bad, the clean and the unclean, those who offer sacrifices and those who do not. As it is with the good, so with the sinful; as it is with those who take oaths, so with those who are afraid to take them. This is the evil in everything that happens under the sun: The same destiny overtakes all. The hearts of people, moreover, are full of evil and there is madness in their hearts while they live, and afterward they join the dead. Anyone who is among the living has hope—even a live dog is better off than a dead lion! For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing; they have no further reward, and even their name is forgotten. Their love, their hate and their jealousy have long since vanished; never again will they have a part in anything that happens under the sun. Go, eat your food with gladness, and drink your wine with a joyful heart, for God has already approved what you do. Always be clothed in white, and always anoint your head with oil. 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 realm of the dead, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom.”—Ecclesiastes 9:1–10 (NIV)

Have you ever heard the term “YOLO”? It stands for “You Only Live Once.” It became a popular word in the early 2010s and a mantra for people to live life to the fullest, take risks, and have fun. At the same time, this idea is used as an excuse to live carelessly or selfishly without wisdom. It’s the same as youth nowadays saying, “Do it for the plot.”

People want a good and exciting story. They want entertainment, and this is translating to everyday life. When Solomon writes in verse 4 that everyone who is living has hope, he’s echoing the voice of the people who set their sights on meaningless or temporary things. Everyone, regardless of how they live their life, has an expiration date. So our earthly life clearly has to be where we put our hope, trust, and energy, right?

Yet, in the ironic style of Ecclesiastes, there’s a deeper truth hidden here. If we live aware of our end, then we can make our lives worthwhile. Anyone who lives with an eternal perspective has hope to live well and purposefully.

Solomon writes that whatever our hand finds to do, we should do it with all our might while we can. Again, from an earthly perspective, it seems like everything that matters begins and ends within our lives here. Yet there’s an element of wisdom in this. Solomon doesn’t want people to be consumed or defined by their work. The key to working with diligence and integrity is found in the first verse of this chapter, “that the righteous and the wise and what they do are in God’s hands.” When we view our lives and our work as being in God’s hands, we can pursue them without making idols out of them.

Think back to Ecclesiastes 5:18–20[1] (NIV). Solomon wrote, “This is what I have observed to be good: that it is appropriate for a person to eat, to drink, and to find satisfaction in their toilsome labor . . . this is a gift of God . . . because God keeps them occupied with gladness of heart.” The things of this world were never meant to satisfy or define us. Everything is meaningless when we forget to view them as gifts from God. And when we put those gifts out of order, forgetting the most important one of all, which is our relationship with God, then we lose sight of what we were made for.

Don’t lose sight of a future of glory, restoration, and goodness promised to those who trust in Jesus! Don’t forget that He’s coming back to establish His kingdom forever! The gifts here are only a foretaste of the eternal joy of His perfect and complete gifts.

Pause: Am I living mainly for what I can experience and achieve right now, or am I allowing the reality of eternity to shape how I live today?

Practice: Choose one ordinary part of your day, whether it’s your work, a relationship, or even a routine task, and intentionally do it as an act of worship to God. Remind yourself that your life and efforts are in His hands.

Pray: Father God, thank You for being a good gift-giver! In the times when it’s easier to be negative, discouraged, or doubtful, help me remember Your goodness. Restore to me the joy of my salvation and of living in light of eternity! Everything I have is an opportunity to enjoy You, honor You, love You, and love others. Help me do that today! Amen.