"This Is It" or is it?

My children would be shocked if they knew I was watching a DVD left behind by my younger daughter, but I was. It was a DVD that was titled "This Is It" by Michael Jackson. I was amazed at his talent and saddened by the title ,"This Is It".

I am reading Ecclesiastes and I keep thinking of Michael Jackson. He was so talented he won so many honors yet I wonder if he would have agreed with Solomon when he said," I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure. My heart took delight in all my work, and this was the reward for all my labor. Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun." Ecclesiastes 2:10,11

At the beginning of the DVD there were talented people from all over the world who wanted to perform with Michael. One of the young men being interviewed made this statement, " Life is hard, and I've been looking for something to shake me up a bit. I've been looking for meaning, a reason to live. This is it." Less then three week before "This Is It" was to open Michael died. For the young man who looked to Michael as a savior this must have been devastating. Ecclesiastes asks the question," What does man gain from all his labor at which he toils under the sun?" If this life is all there is then I agree with Solomon," Meaningless! Meaningless!" says the Teacher. "Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless." Ecclesiastes 1:2

Today I am going to a memorial service for my friend. The majority of the world does not know her. The news of her death did not make the headlines of all the major newspapers of the world, yet all of us who knew her were impacted by her life and her faith. " Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." Hebrews 11:1 My friend Anne lived her life well. A midst difficulty and hardship she was an over comer. I believe the secret to her strength was that she didn't look at life and say,"This is it". She had the "Assurance of things hoped for, and the conviction of things not seen." Today, we will celebrate though our hearts are sad and our eyes fill with tears. We will celebrate a life well lived. Hebrews also tells us that we are surrounded by a great cloud of witness, those who put their faith in something beyond what they could see. Anne put her faith in Jesus Christ He is her Savior and she is with Him today.