I saw this picture and thought of the book of Ecclesiastes.
Most people remember that book for the famous time and a place for everything, etc, etc lines. Of course, those are great words of wisdom. But some of the book almost kind of reads like the thought the artist had behind this image. Mr. Ecclesiastes almost comes across like an old teacher who has had enough of his youthful students. "Go ahead," he says, "be young and dumb. It's not like you're going to listen to me now anyways." Maybe that is a bit harsh, but maybe not.
"Take Life as it Comes" is the heading for Ecclesiastes 9 in the Bible I have in front of me. Here is a piece of that chapter:
Go, eat your bread with enjoyment, and drink your wine with a merry heart; for God has long ago approved what you do. Let your garments always be white; do not let oil be lacking on your head. Enjoy life with the wife whom you love, all the days of your vain life that are given you under the sun, because that is your portion in life and in your toil at which you toil under the sun. Whatever your hand finds to do, do with your might; for there is no work or thought or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol, to which you are going.
Again I saw that under the sun the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to the intelligent, nor favour to the skilful; but time and chance happen to them all. For no one can anticipate the time of disaster. Like fish taken in a cruel net, and like birds caught in a snare, so mortals are snared at a time of calamity, when it suddenly falls upon them. --Ecclesiastes 9:7-12Our lives of full of joy and pain (pump it up, pump it up!). Through it all, God is with us. Amen.
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