Pursuing Lesser gods – Midlife Blues Exodus 20:23 You shall not make anything to be with Me—gods of silver or gods of gold you shall not make for yourselves.

No book of the Bible better addresses the midlife blues than Ecclesiastes. King Solomon had achieved the ultimate in worldly success- stupendous wealth, magnificent accomplishments, beautiful women at his beck and call. The man was the embodiment of success, the envy of the world. Yet to judge from reading Ecclesiastes, he was weary of it all. It left him empty.

1. He tried the gods of work and accomplishment. What advantage does man have in all his work which he does under the sun? A generation goes and a generation comes, but the earth remains forever (Eccl. 1:3-4).

2. He tried the gods of wisdom and knowledge. "And I set my mind to seek and explore by wisdom concerning all that has been done under heaven. It is a grievous task which God has given to the sons of men to be afflicted with. I have seen all the works which have been done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and striving after wind… (Eccl. 1:13-14,18).

3. He tried the gods of pleasure. I said to myself, ‘Come now, I will test you with pleasure. So enjoy yourself.' And behold, it too was futility. I said of laughter, 'It is madness,' and of pleasure, ‘What does it accomplish? (Eccl. 2:1-2).

He tried the gods of money and wealth. He who loves money will not be satisfied with money nor he who loves abundance with its income. This too is vanity. (Eccl. 5:10) Ecclesiastes is an autobiographical insight of a man seeking happiness without God.