The Good Life

Ecclesiastes 7:15-18

In this meaningless life, I have seen everything, including the fact that some good people die young and some wicked people live on and on. So don’t be too good or too wise! Why destroy yourself? On the other hand, don’t be too wicked either—don’t be a fool! Why should you die before your time? So try to walk a middle course—but those who fear God will succeed either way.

Ephesians 4:30

And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he is the one who has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption.

Kanye West makes mention of the Good Life complete with stories of women shaped like models, clothes, and money. It would appear that we are all in search of the “Good life.” One illusion to the “Good Life” is that if we are good, we can all experience the good life. But the reality is that Life is sometimes unpredictable but God is always good.

The writer of Eccliastes is somewhat cynical about life. He concludes that the fate of the Righteous and the wicked is the same so you should not wear yourself out trying to be “too good” but then you shouldn’t be “too wicked” and end your life short. His advice is to be somewhere in the middle, but to keep a healthy fear of God. Is advice to enjoy life, laugh and love, eat, drink with a healthy respect and reverence of God is good? WE are either too Self-Righteous or Too Wicked, rarely are we in the middle. Jesus said he came to give us life and Life more abundantly…the “good life”

Outside of Jesus, life has not meaning. Without Jesus we do suffer the same fate as the wicked but death is not the final answer. The wicked and the Righteous must stand judgment.

That is why Paul warns us to live Good as we pursue a good life. He tells us not to grieve the Holy Spirit. When you love God, you know what makes him sad. Anything that grieves the Holy Spirit is not a good life no matter how good it feels for the moment. The Holy Sprit is the one who will identify you after this life is over.

We just came back from a wonderful cruise. Good food, dancing, sunbathing, shopping, Love and laughter, the “good life.” On the third day it was over and it was time to leave, I was somewhat sad because the fun was over. Before we could disembark and make our connection, we had to identify our bags in customs. My wife and I both had bags but I identified them both. I was the only one who knew our bags out of all the hundreds of bags down there. I identified our bags so we could disembark and make our connection.

The Holy Spirit will identify us when we stand before the God in Judgment as belonging to God because of our relationship with Jesus and how we lived a Good life. When we trust God and live in our new nature we will experience the Good Life eternally.

Dear God, I trust you with my life. Everyday you give me I’m going to work hard and play hard. I will be conscious not to grieve the Holy Spirit by following the leadership of the Spirit you have placed in me. Forgive me when I go too far to the left or to the right, keep me on the right path to enjoy this good life.

In Jesus Name.

Amen.