"Always be clothed in white, and always anoint your head with oil." (v. 8)

For Reading and Meditation:     Ecclesiastes 9:7-10

"Go, eat your food with gladness," Solomon says, "and drink your wine with a joyful heart" (v. 7). Hedonists reading these words might think: "Just what I want ... freedom to go out and indulge myself." But hold on, read the next line: "Always be clothed in white, and always anoint your head with oil" (v. 8). That is a symbolic statement meaning - keep yourself clean. Solomon is not giving us permission to gorge ourselves, but to focus on one day at a time and enjoy every day as it comes. A paraphrase of what he is saying here which might be helpful is this: "The arguments for the meaninglessness of life are powerful - injustice, suffering, sudden death, criminals getting away with murder while the good die in penury and shame. My mind tells me to give up the search for meaning because there isn't any. But as I reflect on God, I find my heart beating again with the hope that I shall spend eternity with Him. Because of that I can go on, eating my food with gladness and drinking my wine with a joyful heart." Solomon's counsel continues: husbands, enjoy your wives (v. 9). Enjoy, not put up with. You have a wife? Love her. Live it up and have fun in your marriage. Don't wait until you retire to enjoy life. Then Solomon adds: "Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might" (v. 10). The only thing some people throw themselves into is their beds at night - weary, and utterly spent. They don't enjoy life; they simply endure it. You enjoy God; enjoy living too.

Gracious loving heavenly Father, save me from thinking that I must wait until I die before I live. I will live more fully then, but help me to throw myself fully into life in the here and now also. In Jesus' Name I ask it. Amen.