“I understood that there is nothing good for him but to be rejoice and to do good in his life and also, all men should eat and drink and find goodness in all of his undertakings; it is God’s gift to him.”

(Ecclesiastes 3:12-13)

“Do not be anxious, but in everything, with prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be known to God. And the peace of God, which exceeds all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. The last thing, brothers, is that whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is upright, whatever is holy, whatever is lovely, whatever is praiseworthy, if there is virtue and if there is praise, think on these things. Those things that you have learned and taken and heard and seen in me, engage in these things. And the God of Peace will be with you.”

(Philippians 4:6-9)

Be clear in your mind, what Solomon is not saying is that you should “eat, drink, and be merry for tomorrow you die.” He is also not taking the approach that the stoics would later take and suggesting that there is no point in pleasure. Solomon is also not celebrating moderation at this point in his discussion (but know that we will come back to the notion of moderation a little later). Instead, Solomon is saying that it is good to rejoice in God and that it is good to do good works (works that glorify God) and that it is good to eat and drink and enjoy the fruit of your labors here on earth, for this is God’s gift to you. Yet, to understand this properly, you must understand that it is a gift from God and thus to be enjoyed to his glory. 

This, too, is the heart of what the Apostle Paul sets before the church in Philippi. Set your minds on the things of beauty and the things that honor God for they come from God. Enjoy these things, find pleasure and wonder in them. Be drawn to God as you look at God’s creation.