Going Nowhere Fast!
As I
was on the elliptical machine at the gym the other day, I looked around me and
saw all these people moving like crazy on treadmills, stationary bikes,
Stairmasters, and the other elliptical machines. As I watched them for a moment, it struck me
that for all of our movement and burning of calories we were all going nowhere
fast—some very, very fast! I know that
the point of these machines is not getting to a particular destination, yet we
all know that, normally the goal of movement is to get a person to a particular
geographic location. In this case,
however, it is simply about the movement (for the sake of the burning of
calories and strengthening of muscles). So everyone moves very fast and hard
and actually gets nowhere—at least in terms of location.
I
think we all go through times in our lives when we feel as if we are working
hard and moving fast, but coming up with little to show for all of our
effort. There are times when we feel as
if we are on a perpetual treadmill or elliptical machine, doing our best, yet stuck
in one spot—going nowhere fast. And, we
can become quite frustrated. We can begin
to wonder whether or not all the effort is worth it. We can begin to feel as if
maybe we should just get off the “exercise machine” of work, church, school,
family, etc.
The
writer of Ecclesiastes felt like this. We read it in the question he asks
multiple times: “What does man gain from
all his labor at which he toils under the sun?” and “What does the worker gain from his toil?” (Ecclesiastes 1:3; 3:9 – NIV) He too felt the frustration of working hard
and moving fast yet feeling as if he was getting nowhere fast.
As
he stepped back, however, and slowed down for a moment, he realized the answer
is not to stop working, moving, and living. The answer is to find joy in the
journey, rather than in the destination.
The answer is found in learning to see all of the movements of life as a
gift from God; to understand that the walking, running, working, and living is
itself is a blessing from God’s hand.
The writer put it his way:
“I know that there is nothing better for men
than to be happy and do good while they live.
That everyone may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all his
toil—this is the gift from God.” (Ecclesiastes
3:12-13 – NIV)
This
Thanksgiving, let’s give thanks to God for the simple joy of walking, running,
working, and living. It’s not always about where we are going, but about appreciating
and enjoying the life God has given us to live.
Have
a great day! And, happy
Thanksgiving!
Pastor
Tim Harris
Comments
Post a Comment