Is Life Meaningless?

In the book of Ecclesiastes, Solomon answers his own question: Yes, from a secular perspective. Absolutely not, if God is in the picture. Through the secular eye, he writes... all men die, rich or poor, wise or foolish, diligent or lazy - our end is the same. The greatest pleasures of this world are fleeting. The thrills of youth are fleeting. The just and the wise sometimes seem to get the short end of the stick while the wicked and foolish prosper. This brief life, in spite of the joys that it can bring, appears to be contradictory and futile in the grand scheme of things. We live, sometimes experience joy, often experience pain, and then we die. How dismal is that? But the golden foundation to this book becomes evident as we read on.

Thankfully, Solomon, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, does not leave us hanging in this confusing darkness of meaninglessness. He gives us the answer to the question on the meaning of everything. I just want to summarize these observations in Ecclesiastes Chapter 12:

1) Remember (serve and love) your Creator while you are still young.
2) Evil days, difficult days, old age and death will come and will be overwhelming and void of meaning to the godless.
3) The peak of all wisdom and the meaning of life is found in knowing God, fearing Him, and obeying His commands.
4) Everything is under God's scrutiny. A judgment is coming, and only those who fear and obey God will be counted as worthy. That is, only those who have been saved through faith in Christ, those who have been born again and walk in newness, will proceed victorious beyond the time of the final judgement.

So the good news: life is meaningful, but only with God. Life for Him fully, serve Him faithfully, cling to Him diligently, and it will go well for you. Not easy, but well. Christ is our solid rock. If we stay firm believing on Him, we will hear those words one day "Well done, my good and faithful servant. Enter in to the joy of your Lord." At that moment all the pain and difficulties of the previous world will become as nothing. We will fully understand life's meaning. Knowing Him and being with Him forever.