Ecclesiastes 2: 1-11

Kunle Olabode comments on the human desire for pleasure

Kunle Olabode

'I tried cheering myself with wine, and embracing folly - my mind still guiding me with wisdom. I wanted to see what was good for people to do under the heavens during the few days of their lives.' (Ecclesiastes 2:3)

What makes your life worth living? Most people will rank pleasure near the top. This can take various forms and shapes; some people can be termed, 'weekend warriors' and others, powered by addiction to adrenaline, delight in extreme sports etc. For another set of people it is extreme television movies that delight them, while others engage in even destructive activities such as gambling, pornography, excessive drinking and drug abuse to mention a few.

The one common similarity in all these pursuits is the fact that while they can get a person's mind off work and other stresses in life, none of them can bring lasting joy or fulfilment. The skydiving experience ends as soon as a diver's feet hit the ground; home redecoration endeavours often turn into money and time consuming monsters; and the after-binge hangovers, whether it be physical, financial or relational, always shows up right on schedule!

This was the experience of the wise writer of Ecclesiastes who took the idea of pursuing possession and pleasure to the extreme, all in the search for happiness. He used his global influence and seemingly endless resources to look for meaning in a variety of pleasurable activities - but found no happiness or meaning in activities that were doomed from the beginning to disappoint.

There is an empty space inside every human being that we are all desperately trying to fill in some way. Having tried all sorts of pleasurable pursuits, the teacher in Ecclesiastes concludes that ONLY GOD can fill that emptiness in our lives and provide ultimate meaning in life. Let us therefore seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness; then all other things will fit in their proper place. Shalom.