Life is Hebel

You may read the title of this blog post and see the random picture of a boy breathing and wonder, "Now what in the world is she going to do with this?" Keep reading :)

In my Old Testament class this semester with Dr. TC Ham, we learned about the significance of the Hebrew word Hebel in Ecclesiastes.  It is translated as "vanity," in most of our Bible translations: 

Ecclesiastes 1:2

Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher, vanity of vanities! All is vanity.

The literal Hebrew meaning, however is a mist, a vapor, a breath.  All throughout Ecclesiastes, the author (possibly someone named Qohelet) refers to life, work, wealth, honor, self-indulgence as this word: HEBEL. When I read this, I picture being in Cedarville, Ohio in the dead of winter, sitting on a bench, legs kicking back and forth. I slowly let go of my troubles with a sigh, a deliberate breath.  It is one of the few pleasures of winter, one of the few joys that I will write down about this cold season.  Yet, in a split second, it's gone, vanished from my eyes. So quickly, the breath that had so easily given me a slice of bliss abandons me. 

And this is life. Temporal. Quick. Vanity. Meaningless. Vapor. Breath. Mist. Hebel.

James 4:14

Yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. 

Paul certainly understood this concept. He wrote in 1 Corinthians 1-3 about the wisdom of God and how the wisdom of this age is useless in comparison to knowing Christ: "Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you thinks that he is wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise." (3:18).  He also writes about this in one of my favorite passages in Philippians 3:7-10: 

But WHATEVER gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count EVERYTHING as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For His sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith - that i may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like Him in his death, that by any means possible, I may attain the resurrection from the dead. 

Oh, how I want to know Christ. How much more important is He than any earthly thing I encounter or pursue! Pursuing Him is an eternal chase. 

Yet I still find myself pursuing these temporal things. It is a constant battle. But I KNOW that anything else in comparison to knowing Christ is rubbish, is loss, is futile, is breath, is temporal, is HEBEL. 

And so, I want to enjoy life, enjoy knowing Christ and the blessings that he brings: 

35. Awesome looking clouds all day today 

36. Having silly camp songs stuck in my head at the end of the day

37. Ice Cream Sandwiches 

38. Renewed friendships

39. Forgiveness

40. The song, "What Makes You Beautiful." - it's my jam hehe

Life is short. ENJOY IT. Enjoy Christ. Enjoy love, blessings, trials. Pursue the eternal! :) Smile.