Ecclesiastes 12:13—Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.
He was a stud. At least that’s what People magazine would probably write about him. He had seven hundred wives of royal birth and three hundred concubines. Even if they weren’t garrulous his life was out of control. It’s no wonder his harem led him wacky. That’s not hard to imagine! I totally miss what my wife is saying if the television is on, consider what it would be like with a 1000 women vying for attention. And we haven’t even discussed all the children yet!
He had all the wealth a person could dream of owning. Today’s lottery jackpots would have looked like his weekly allowance. Silver was so common it had no value. He supervised the construction of colossal structures—magnificent palaces a grandiose temple, while managing the affairs of an entire nation. His wisdom was so renowned that people traveled from great distances just to hear him talk. Who could come close to filling his sandals? He amazed the world without the assistance of speed-dial communication, motorized transportation and automation
The end result of over-indulgence is boredom. Anything Solomon desired he obtained. But it didn’t matter or help. He betrayed His Benefactor to worship detestable gods and bizarre idols. His citizens became restless under his increasingly heavy-handed leadership. Only in the end did he return to his senses. You can read his diary and get a profound perspective into life—it’s called the book of Ecclesiastes and it’s in the Bible right after the book of Proverbs, the book Solomon is famous for. In Hebrew literature—the most important writing is usually saved for last. That’s exactly why is it is imperative we absorb Solomon’s final words—"when it’s all said and done the most important thing we can do in life is this: Fear God and keep His commandments."
Is your life complex? Are you honking at your taillights? Maybe it’s time to simplify. Worship your unflappable Creator. Ask Him what He would like you to be doing. Then have the courage to obey. Jesus didn’t write the book How to Swim with the Sharks, He said "follow Me."
Inspiration
We live in a complex world, amid such a mass of sensibilities and impressionabilities that we are apt to imagine that it is the same with God.—Oswald Chambers in So Send I You
