I suppose many of us have a favorite book of the Bible. That’s not to say that we dislike or disparage the other 65, but merely that we especially resonate with one of them and find that it feeds our soul in a unique way. I happen to love Ecclesiastes, for of all the books, it seems to offer the most realistic and motivating look at life in this world. Though some count it depressing or discouraging with its insistence on the sheer vanity of this life, I find it uplifting and motivating, for it calls us to make the most of life in this world.
Ray Ortlund loves it as well, and he wants Christians—and especially young Christians—to develop that same respect for it. To that end, he offers Eat, Drink, and Be Merry: A Gospel Call To Bold Enjoyment. He immediately clarifies his purpose: “You and I are being assaulted every day—pressured, even overwhelmed—by our modern culture of soul-numbing distraction. And we need a plan just to save our sanity.” The strategy he recommends is one of enjoyment. “Yes, enjoyment. It’s a smart strategy both for prevailing over these disastrous times and for building a better future. The Bible—the most serious book in the world—calls us to that enjoyment, and I can prove it.” He goes about proving it through the book of Ecclesiastes. He shows that Ecclesiastes holds up the shortness of life as a reason to treasure the significance of life. “Life is short, and life is good. It’s not an either/or. It’s a both/and. And what makes your short life good is the grace of God giving your life to you, moment by moment. Your part is to receive it. Not deserve it or achieve it or control it. Just receive it and enjoy this good gift from God that is your life.”
How does God wish for us to receive this gift? With humble gratitude and bold enjoyment. “What if God is counseling you toward more laughter, more parties, more walks by the lake, more checking in on a lonely neighbor, more visits to the art museum, more having friends over for dessert, and maybe even getting a new puppy? What if a wisely joyous new you will have more to offer your suffering generation than an overly serious you could ever bring to the table? What if wise joy is the most underrated strategy for a better future for all of us? And if that is true, and it is, then why hold back? Why even wait?”
The book is structured around a walk-through of Ecclesiastes 11:9-10, verses I have often pondered and treasured:
Rejoice, O young man, in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth. Walk in the ways of your heart and the sight of your eyes. But know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment. Remove vexation from your heart, and put away pain from your body, for youth and the dawn of life are vanity.
Ortlund first explains why he loves this passage and why the reader should as well. “I’m hoping this book persuades you that God’s path of wisdom for you is both serious and delightful—more of both than you might expect. Following Christ will both deepen you and free you. It’s a brilliant strategy for glad sanity and steady integrity—all the way.” Following Christ frees the Christian to enjoy this world on Christ’s terms and for Christ’s glory, which together are the path to true joy and satisfaction.
The subsequent chapters each take a phrase from the passage and expand upon it, gently laying out the reality that God means for us to experience this life with a bold enjoyment that involves accepting his many gifts and joyfully savoring them. Though written by an older man, the audience is decidedly younger men and women, those who are learning how to live well in the world as it is today with all its brilliant advances and sore trials. It is conversational in its format and both pastoral and paternal in its tone. It is faithful in its exposition, insightful in its observations, and bold in its applications. It is exactly the kind of book I wish I had read when I was within the core audience of Ecclesiastes and so badly needed someone to help me ponder words like these: “Rejoice, O young man, in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth.”
I’m thankful Ortlund wrote this book and gladly recommend it to teens, young adults, or anyone else who wants to learn to make the most of this vain but beautiful life.
