1. “How should I live my life?” Ecclesiastes 11 and 12
The search for meaning?
“How should I live my life?”
Ecclesiastes 11 and 12

2. The search for meaning? Is this all there is? Chs 1 and 2
It’s just a matter of time Ch 3
Climbing the ladder to nowhere Chs 4-6
A word to the wise Chs 7-9
How should I live my life? Chs 11 & 12

3. How should I live my life?
Invest in many ventures
11: 1 Ship your grain across the sea; after many days you may receive a return. 2 Invest in seven ventures, yes, in eight; you do not know what disaster may come upon the land. 3 If clouds are full of water, they pour rain on the earth. Whether a tree falls to the south or to the north, in the place where it falls, there it will lie. 4 Whoever watches the wind will not plant; whoever looks at the clouds will not reap. 5 As you do not know the path of the wind, or how the body is formed in a mother’s womb, so you cannot understand the work of God, the Maker of all things. 6 Sow your seed in the morning, and at evening let your hands not be idle, for you do not know which will succeed, whether this or that, or whether both will do equally well. .
Life is uncertain! "you do not know" x 4 but nevertheless you need to do what you can.
Giving is good to both parties!
Luke 6:38 "Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again."

4. How should I live my life?

5. How should I live my life?
Remember your Creator while young
7 Light is sweet, and it pleases the eyes to see the sun.
8 However many years anyone may live, let them enjoy them all. But let them remember the days of darkness, for there will be many. Everything to come is meaningless.
9 You who are young, be happy while you are young, and let your heart give you joy in the days of your youth. Follow the ways of your heart and whatever your eyes see, but know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment. 10 So then, banish anxiety from your heart and cast off the troubles of your body, for youth and vigour are meaningless.
You can't control light and darkness but you can your attitude towards them.
Solomon used his book of proverbs to help train young people (and others).
Rejoice. ….. Judgement
Ie balance important
Lancôme. Love your age!

6. How should I live my life?
David Smith MBE
“As I walked through the Hospital last Thursday I could feel the world around me stop, then the door opens and you see your surgeon. I have walked through this door so many times. However this time was one of the most heart wrenching moments… 
The words didn't even have to leave my surgeon’s mouth, I knew in the moment all my dreams for 2016 had gone, for me its never been about winning medals in cycling, I just wanted to live and love the sport and in this one moment it was taken away from me and no matter how hard I fight there is nothing I can do about it…
So in March I will walk into the hospital and give everything I have to walk out and live life to the full...
Remember to go out live for the moment and love life.”
One extreme andpowerful illustaration of how the world crashes in is the story of David Smith.
Paralympian Gold in 2012

7. How should I live my life?
Remember your Creator while young
7 Light is sweet, and it pleases the eyes to see the sun.
8 However many years anyone may live, let them enjoy them all. But let them remember the days of darkness, for there will be many. Everything to come is meaningless.
9 You who are young, be happy while you are young, and let your heart give you joy in the days of your youth. Follow the ways of your heart and whatever your eyes see,
but know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment. 10 So then, banish anxiety
from your heart and cast off the troubles
of your body, for youth and vigour are
meaningless.
You can't control light and darkness but you can your attitude towards them.
Solomon used his book of proverbs to help train young people (and others).
Rejoice. ….. Judgement
Ie balance important
Lancôme. Love your age!

8. How should I live my life?
You can't control light and darkness but you can your attitude towards them.
Solomon used his book of proverbs to help train young people (and others).
Rejoice. ….. Judgement
Ie balance important
Lancôme. Love your age!

9. How should I live my life?
Remember your Creator while young
12: 1 Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come and the years approach when you will say,‘I find no pleasure in them’– 2 before the sun and the light and the moon and the stars grow dark, and the clouds return after the rain; 3 when the keepers of the house tremble, and the strong men stoop, when the grinders cease because they are few, and those looking through the windows grow dim; 4 when the doors to the street are closed and the sound of grinding fades; when people rise up at the sound of birds, but all their songs grow faint; 5 when people are afraid of heights and of dangers in the streets; when the almond tree blossoms and the grasshopper drags itself along and desire no longer is stirred.

10. How should I live my life?
Remember your Creator while young
Then people go to their eternal home and mourners go about the streets.
6 Remember him – before the silver cord is severed, and the golden bowl is broken; before the pitcher is shattered at the spring, and the wheel broken at the well, 7 and the dust returns to the ground it came from, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.
8 ‘Meaningless! Meaningless!’ says the Teacher.     
‘Everything is meaningless!’

11. How should I live my life?
The conclusion of the matter
9 Not only was the Teacher wise, but also he imparted knowledge to the people. He pondered and searched out and set in order many proverbs. 10 The Teacher searched to find just the right words, and what he wrote was upright and true. 11 The words of the wise are like goads, their collected sayings like firmly embedded nails – given by one shepherd. 12 Be warned, my son, of anything in addition to them. Of making many books there is no end, and much study wearies the body.

12. How should I live my life?
The conclusion of the matter
13 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 mankind.
14 For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.

13. The search for meaning
“We believe that all the wrestling to understand what the Bible teaches about God is worth it. God is a rock of strength in a world of quicksand. To know him in his sovereignty is to become like an oak tree in the wind of adversity and confusion. And along with strength is sweetness and tenderness beyond imagination.”
John Piper

14. How should I live my life?
“Our problem is that we often spend so much time
trying to figure out life (through wisdom); straightening out life (through work),
or avoiding life (through folly)
that we die before actually
getting round to enjoying life (through grace)!”
Mark Driscoll

15. The search for meaning
1:9 What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.
He makes all things new
3:20 All go to the same place; all come from dust, and to dust all return.
He brings the dead to life
7:13 Consider what God has done: Who can straighten what he has made crooked?
He makes everything beautiful in His time.

16. How should I live my life?
“I am come that you might have life and have it to the full.” Jesus

17. How should I live my life?
“When life caves in, you do not need reasons, you need comfort. You do not need some answers; you need someone. And Jesus does not come to us with an explanation; he comes to us with his presence. We are always seeking the reason. We want to know why. Like Job, we finally want God to tell us just what is going on. But God does not reveal his plan. He reveals Himself. He comes to us as warmth when we are cold, fellowship when we are alone, strength when we are weak, peace when we are troubled, courage when we are afraid, songs when we are sad, and bread when we are hungry.

18. How should I live my life?
He is with us on our journeys. He is there when we are home. He sits with us at our table. He knows about funerals and weddings and commencements and hospitals and jails and unemployment and labour and laughter and rest and tears. He knows because he is with us. He comes to us again and again.”
Bob Benson
Wise men still seek him.