May 1 – Meaningful Desire (Ecclesiastes 1:1-11)

“The eye never has enough of seeing, nor the ear its fill of hearing.”(Ecclesiastes 1:8)

IN WORD:
Human nature is never satisfied. Whatever gifts God has given us, we want more. When we’ve gotten a taste of God’s generosity, our appetites are whetted, not filled. We are always waiting for the next good thing.
The good thing about our constant quest for more is that, when rightly directed, we can have it. This may be surprising to those of us who have heard sermon after sermon on the virtues of contentment. It’s true that desire for the things of this world, as Solomon describes, is never fully satisfied. But there is a godly craving that is rewarded with blessing upon blessing. . If our dissatisfaction moves us toward God and His Kingdom rather than toward temporal fulfillments, it is a holy dissatisfaction. It will eventually be rewarded. God never denies those who want more of Him.
Read what Solomon says in the scripture verse above. Is this bad, as he implies? Or can it be good? That depends. It’s bad if our eternal cravings are misdirected toward temporal things. It’s good if we’re seeking first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness.

IN DEED:
Are you dissatisfied with life? Ask your self why? If you are filling your life with things that don’t last, you will never be satisfied at all. How can you be? The things you seek are not inherently satisfying.
But God is. If you are filling your life with Him (and letting Him fill your life with Himself), He will satisfy, and when you grow discontent again, He will give more. You will find yourself fully content for a time, and then realize there is so much more of Him to discover. Your holy craving will drive you deeper into His presence. That’s not a problem. He is inexhaustible in His riches. We can forever explore Him, and if we want more, there will be more to find.

“Let temporal things serve your use, but the eternal be the object of your desire.” -Thomas ‘A Kempis-