Wind

3 What do people get for all their hard work under the sun? 4 Generations come and generations go, but the earth never changes. 5 The sun rises and the sun sets, then hurries around to rise again. 6 The wind blows south, and then turns north. Around and around it goes, blowing in circles. 7 Rivers run into the sea, but the sea is never full. Then the water returns again to the rivers and flows out again to the sea. 8 Everything is wearisome beyond description. No matter how much we see, we are never satisfied. No matter how much we hear, we are not content. 9 History merely repeats itself. It has all been done before. Nothing under the sun is truly new. 10 Sometimes people say, “Here is something new!” But actually it is old; nothing is ever truly new. 11 We don’t remember what happened in the past, and in future generations, no one will remember what we are doing now. ~ Ecclesiastes 1

There are days when I wonder what is the point. Really. What is the point of doing the futile tasks that surround me? Why do we think our insatiable desire to strive will gain some measure of self-improvement? What is the eternal purpose of amassing goods, renovating spaces, and seeking out experiences of pleasure? Why do we believe we have something unique to say or contribute to our circles of fellowship (virtual or real)? Will anyone remember what we are doing now in generations to come?

Before this post becomes a melancholic diatribe, I pause to reflect on the picture above. Isn't it beautiful and calming? (Thanks sister for taking such a gorgeous picture. It's my favorite from the summer thus far!) It captures the image of tall wind turbines marking the horizon near our city. These magnificent feats of engineering are capturing the power of the wind. Solomon, the writer of Ecclesiastes, speaks of the meaningless aspects of life and how it equates to chasing after the wind. Yet these turbines have been placed in a particular parcel of land to harness the wind to create useful energy. Why chase it when you can use it?

The foreground of the picture shows my two precious children and my husband. Walking. Hand-in-hand. In this moment of time. And I'm watching them with joy behind my photographer. We are all placed in this time and place NOT to chase after the wind. But to use it. For God's glory.

Think about it.

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