Upheld in Eat, Drink, Be Merry

Eat Drink and Be Merry

What does this mean to you?

I have in mind streamers falling from the ceiling, food all over the table, people reclining in their chairs with goblets in their hands. They are all laughing, of course. Supposedly they are having a good time. They don’t have a care in the world.

Or do they?

Maybe they are pretending to be happy. Maybe they are covering up many sorrows. Maybe they just hope the sorrows will go away.

I can understand that. Can’t you?

Another Take

But having read about such a false narrative in Ecclesiastes, I got another take on this.

Solomon “commends” the enjoyment of life. Eat, drink and be merry. Joy will accompany a man in his work all the days of his life.

It gave me pause.

Certainly, Solomon has plenty to say about how we live our lives. In all kinds of circumstances. But I always did think he went off the rails as he observed that some things are just going to be “that way.” Whatever way it falls for any of us. The race doesn’t always go to the swift and death follows anyway.

So what?

Back to Merry

What if eat, drink, and be merry is about our attitudes? Not so much a party attitude but living an attitude of joy. No matter what we face. No matter our difficulties.

We can hold joy in our hearts because the One who created us takes great joy in us. He fashions all things to bring us to the place where we are the person He envisioned as He created us.

We learn to overcome. We rise above. We become.

And sharing joy with our Lord and Father is the greatest pleasure we will ever know.

So—eat, drink, and be merry. For our God is with us.

Now and forever.

“So I commend the enjoyment of life, because nothing is better for a man under the sun than to eat and drink and be glad. Then joy will accompany him in his work all the days of the life God has given him under the sun” (Ecclesiastes 8:15 NIV).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Eat Drink and Be Merry

What does this mean to you?