The conclusion

by Charles Bertelsmeier

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Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all humankind (Ecclesiastes 12:13).

Read Ecclesiastes 11:9 – 12:14

We finally reach the conclusion after Solomon has conducted his research on the meaning of life. On Tuesday, we looked at some of the things Solomon experimented with to find fulfilment in his life. In the end, the only thing that gave meaning was a relationship with God.

Let’s look at this in more detail. The expression used here (and elsewhere in the Bible) is to ‘fear’ God. This is not to be afraid of God but to have awe of who God is.

To deal with an awesome God, we often recreate him in our own image, very much with human characteristics and limitations. This may be a way of subconsciously shrinking God down to a size at which he is no longer of any significance to us, and we can live as we please.

But the God presented to us in the Bible is very different from our human imagining. He is the one who created time and space out of nothing; he is the one who constructed a vast universe that our minds and our most eminent scientists struggle to comprehend. He created life in all its intricate complexity – as scientists are continuously discovering. When we contemplate such a God, we can only surrender in fear/awe before him. But that’s not all; this God revealed his character and personality through his Son, who took on our humanity and demonstrated his love and commitment to us through his perfect life and sacrificial death for us. And that’s still not all – in our baptism, we have been adopted into the heavenly family of Father, Son and Holy Spirit to live as God’s children. And there’s still more: The Holy Spirit now lives in us to be our guide, tutor and encourager. We now live in that intimate relationship with such an awesome God. That is the meaning of life – living in the joy and excitement of being God’s children, including loving and serving those around us to reveal God’s love to a hurting world.

Triune God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, I surrender all I am and have into your love and purpose for me – for your glory. Amen.

Charles is a retired engineer who has worked on communications projects for the air force, army and navy. He lives in a retirement village in the outer north-western suburbs of Sydney with his wife, Diane. Together, they have four children and eight grandchildren, all of whom they love spending time with. Charles keeps busy caring for their pot plants and a community vegetable garden, researching his family history and volunteering at LifeWay Lutheran Church.

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