Eternity is in every man’s heart, a beating desire for the things of this world, placed there from the start so we would start looking for the author of all things beautiful (Ecclesiastes 3:11). Even in the thick of worldly pursuits, our hearts told us and keep reminding us there’s more to life than what we see, someone behind the life that we see. In Ecclesiastes, Solomon knew this person was God, “the one shepherd,” he called him, pointing us to Jesus Christ, who is the Good Shepherd, able to keep those who are His and giving us a better eternity, one with Him.

The words of the wise are like goads, and like nails firmly fixed are the collected sayings; they are given by one Shepherd (Ecclesiastes 12:11).

Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day (John 6:54).

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

In this life of high pursuits with diminishing pleasure and more pain that we can stand sometimes, I’m glad of the Shepherd who keeps us slow sheep when we stray. “And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any [man] pluck them out of my hand” (John 10:28). Solomon knew that this world was full of emptiness, a longing for the wrong things, and he gave us the remedy for this.

“Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter. Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man” (Ecclesiastes 12:13). God put in us a desire to pursue Him and I thank Him for the power to turn from our ways and to Him so life can be divinely what it should be.

Copyright 2010 by Rhonda J. Smith