• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Lutheran Military Support Group

Supporting Lutheran active duty, veterans and their families.

  • News, Articles,
    Grants & Events
    • Their Stories Told
    • Active Duty/Veteran Profiles
    • Awarded Grants
    • Calendar of Events
  • Ammo Cans,
    & Resources
    • Printable Resources (Veteran’s & Memorial Day)
    • Christian Service Members’ Handbook
    • Ammo Can Request
    • Synod, Govt., & VA Assistance
    • PTS Support
    • Request a speaker
  • Ideas from
    the Trenches
  • Liaison Info,
    LMSG Board
    • Liaison
      Information
    • LMSG Board
      Members
  • Live Streaming
    Church Services
    • Past Devotions

Poor Solomon

05/15/2020 By swentzlaff

“Meaningless! Meaningless!” says the Teacher. “Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless” (Ecclesiastes 1:2).

He was rich in wealth and wisdom. He had no equal. And yet, when we take a closer look at his life, we may end up saying: “Poor Solomon.”

“Solomon” means peace. But for much of his life, no peace could he find. We would not want to be like him.

Oh, we would like some of that wealth, and it would be nice to be honored like him. But we would hate to be as miserable as he came to be.

If we ask, “How could he be so unhappy with all that he had?” he answers in the book of the Bible called “Ecclesiastes.”

The opening words are striking: “Meaningless! Meaningless! Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless!”  How did he come to that sad conclusion?

He was bored: “What has been will be again, what has been done,” he wrote, “will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.” (1v.9)

He discovered wisdom did not bring happiness. He reports: “With much wisdom comes much sorrow; the more knowledge, the more grief.” (1v.18)

So, he undertook great projects. He built houses, planted trees, bought livestock, and piled up gold and silver. “I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure.” (2v.10)

The result? “I hated all the things I had toiled for under the sun because I must leave them to the one who comes after me.” (2v.18)

He came to the conclusion: “A man can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in his work.” (2v.24)

So, the king who has it all is no better off than a common laborer.

Then, he shared some words of wisdom: “To the man who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge, and happiness…”

Happiness, he learned, is a gift from God. It is not something we can make for ourselves.

And then a warning: “…but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand it over to the one who pleases God.” (2v.26)

This, he would tell us, is truly a meaningless life.

His words may surprise us. We don’t expect this from the son of the great King David and the builder of the great Temple in Jerusalem. Had he not impressed even the Queen of Sheba?

Yet, much of his life was empty. There may have been peace throughout his kingdom during those years, but no peace was found in his heart and soul. Poor Solomon!

But there is more to his story. It turns out, one of his descendants was the very Prince of Peace.

Jesus of Nazareth, Son of God and son of Mary, from the line of David and Solomon, was the answer to Solomon’s emptiness—and ours.

What is the greatest thing the great King Solomon accomplished in life? Wrong question!

Rather, “What is the greatest thing God accomplished through Solomon?”

The answer must be: “God used Solomon, with all of his strengths and weaknesses, with all of his wealth and wisdom—God used the man with the name, “Peace” to bring the Prince of Peace to the earth.

Rest in peace, Solomon! You now share in the endless wealth, power, and glory of your Savior.

One day, because of your distant Son, we will too.

We pray: Lord Jesus, your death and resurrection give us peace of heart, mind, and soul. Accept our words of thanksgiving and our labors of love. Amen.

 

Written by Pastor Paul Ziemer

WELS National Civilian Chaplain and Liaison to the Military

Provided by WELS Ministry to the Military

Share this:

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • Click to print (Opens in new window)

Related

Filed Under: Weekly Devotions

Previous Post: « Angels Unaware
Next Post: Remembering Loss »

Primary Sidebar

Recent Posts

  • Healing 01/15/2021
  • Sending Christmas Cards to Active Duty Personnel 01/14/2021
  • Rachel Weeping 01/08/2021
  • So Easy 01/01/2021
  • Weary Watchers 12/18/2020

$upport Our Cau$e JOIN OUR CAUSE

Follow Us

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn

Footer

External Links

LMSG is affiliated with the churches of the CELC, including:

ELS-logo-web

ELS-logo-web
WELS Privacy Policy 

copyright © Lutheran Military Support Group-2019


Lutheran Synod Digital Publishing

Log in

loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.