Millions and millions of tons of consumer goods, building products and fuel sent up and down, round and round, from Dover to Edinburgh, from Glasgow to Manchester, Liverpool to Norwich. It brings to mind the words of Reginald Perrin, a fictional character appaled by the mediocrity of his own life,
"What have I done with my life? "I've sold razors so people can shave the stubble off their faces. And what happens? Next day it GROWS BACK AGAIN!"Reggie's despair at his life is the same as that which was voiced thousands of years ago by a King. Solomon was the richest man alive, he had everything he wanted. His life was full of exotics and spice, he was THE modern man of the 1000BC period. He tried everything, in his own words,
"I made great works. I built houses and planted vineyards for myself. I made myself gardens and parks, and planted in them all kinds of fruit trees. I made myself pools from which to water the forest of growing trees. I bought male and female slaves, and had slaves who were born in my house. I had also great possessions of herds and flocks, more than any who had been before me in Jerusalem. I also gathered for myself silver and gold and the treasure of kings and provinces. I got singers, both men and women, and many concubines, the delight of the children of man."Sounds nice to me! Imagine how you could spend your time if you were Solomon! Banquets, Dances, Expeditions, Boating, Chariot racing, Eating (my personal favourite), Swimming, Visting your own collection of exotic and amazing animals, Commisioning the building of new wonders and palaces, Gardening (on a massive scale), Leading Armies, Visiting Kings and Queens of the Ancient world....and much much more! Well, lets see what Solomon thought of it all....
"So I became great and surpassed all who were before me in Jerusalem. Also my wisdom remained with me. And whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them. I kept my heart from no pleasure, for my heart found pleasure in all my toil, and this was my reward for all my toil. Then I considered all that my hands had done and the toil I had expended in doing it, and behold, all was vanity and a striving after wind, and there was nothing to be gained under the sun."Wooooaaah, Solley, what are you saying?!?! Striving after the wind?! Nothing to be gained?! Im not liking the sound of this! Although now I think about it, this is similar to what I was thinking stuck in the rain on the A1, although slightly more poetic!
So, Solomon, Reginald and myself are in agreement, it all means nothing. So, how come when I stood on the Himilayas, I felt the wind in my face and the power and beauty of the lands unfolding beneath me? I felt something of wonder, surely? What about love, I hear you ask. What of the joy when one sees a newborn child? Perhaps these things are a reflection, a glimpse into the splendour of the God who made this world, the one who gives it all its meaning. Solomon views God as the crux of the issue:
"The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man."That is fairly final, God is the reason we are here, our entire purpose and the meaning of life is all rolled up in our Lord, the author of all life.
Jesus said "But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." If we seek His will and live for Him, reading his word and trusting in Him then He will show us something of the Glory and Wonder of Himself and His creation. There is a hymn that begins to speak something of this:
Who paints the skies into glorious day?So maybe, just possibly, there is more to life than the A1.
Only the splendor of Jesus
Who breaths his life into fists of clay?
Only the splendor of Jesus
Who shapes the valleys and brings the rain?
Only the splendor of Jesus
Who makes the desert to live again?
Only the splendor of Jesus
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