Song of Solomon 8:8-14

Song of Solomon 8:8-14

One of the challenges of this book is that, at times, it is hard to be certain who specifically is speaking. Many scholars offer many opinions; however, there is a shared certainty that the bride's chastity is her greatest treasure.

Having returned home, there is a sort of flashback or trip down memory lane for the girl’s brothers. In verses 8-9 they recall how when she was not yet of marriageable age, they protected her. Any young girl with strong, godly, protective men around her has a decided and distinct advantage. She was one such protected maiden. 

But in verse 11 she has had the moral maturity and character to be committed to her own chastity. The vast wealth of Solomon and even the wealth of his workers are despised compared to the value of her moral purity.

The husband finds contentment with his wife, described in verse 10b. Then in verse 13 her voice is a delight to him. For her part, she invites him again to enjoy the sexual satisfaction of the marriage covenant.

“Thank You, God, for making sexual fulfillment part of Your universe. AMEN.”

Song of Solomon 8:1-7

Song of Solomon 8:1-7

With each successive poem, the narrative becomes more intense. The first couple of verses of this chapter may seem strange to us. This is not an appeal to incest. But in a culture where public displays of affection were strongly forbidden, she has a hard time keeping her hands off her beloved. The couple has come to her hometown, and this has awakened memories of passionate feelings, which find their fulfillment in verse 3.

Passionate love is so powerful it is best entered into judiciously, and so verse 4 repeats that warning.

Verses 5-7 are the apex of the collection of these poems. In the second part of verse 5, the groom recalls a place of meaningful moments. In verses 6-7 is a description of the supreme power of love. The implications of "seals" are many, but to translate into our culture, let us say, “Once I put a wedding ring on your finger, nothing was ever the same.” Love is like an irresistible flash flood, like death and the grave; once it has you, it never lets you go. Some have given up everything for the sake of love. While those around them may scoff, the lovers feel that it was worth it too.

“Lord, awaken in me the holy love of my courtship. AMEN.”

Song of Solomon 7:1-13

Song of Solomon 7:1-13

One theory about this chapter is that this is the story of a young woman who is loved by another but is being wooed by Solomon. According to this interpretation, the chapter closes with the final rejection of Solomon in verse 10. But there is the possibility that the young man was actually the young Solomon before he was corrupted.

Regardless, before us is a highly sexualized description of both the lovers' responses to her body. Verses 1-6 may be a description provided by the groom or by those who help dress the bride. Verses 7-9a are the descriptive words of the king, with verses 9b-13 being the description of the bride as she desires to give herself and a description of giving herself to her husband.

While the descriptions and similes may not be what we are used to, the description of giving oneself freely to one's spouse is something that transcends culture and language. There is within the safe and secure bonds of marriage a radical and open freedom. In verses 11-13, the bride and groom get away for an escape so that nothing distracts them from the delights and pleasures of sexual fulfillment.

“Lord, thank you for the freedom we enjoy in marriage. AMEN.”

Song of Solomon 6:1-13

Song of Solomon 6:1-13

This book is at times challenging, to say the least. This chapter is no exception. But love is, at times, challenging and difficult to understand. This chapter opens with other women showing an interest in the groom and the bride’s feelings of jealousy. She doesn’t answer their questions directly; rather, in verse 2 she refers to their intimacy and in verse 3 asserts their commitment to each other.

In verses 4-9 the groom renews his declaration for her but adds a couple notes. First he says he has been conquered by her beauty, so much so that when she looks at him, he is unable to think straight (v. 4). Second, he next describes her beauty again in verses 5-7. But in verses 8-9 we see he desires her over his whole harem. This harem of 140 women indicates a younger Solomon, who later had a harem of nearly 1,000 women. Among all the options available in his harem, she was unique. Verse 12 may be the most difficult verse to understand in the whole book. In the context of jealousy, self-doubt, and a multitude of women in the harem, we see the bride in the difficult reality of harem life. Perhaps verse 13 is an attempt of the harem to make her only one of many. But why?

“Thank You, Lord, for Your plan of one man with one woman for one lifetime. AMEN.”

Song of Solomon 5:1-16

Song of Solomon 5:1-16

Perhaps you can relate; you have a bad dream in which something is amiss in your dearest relationship. The dream is so vivid as to disturb the moments soon after awakening. We sometimes feel inadequate for our lover and believe that they could have done better. One's insecurities may be unfounded, but that does not alleviate the anxiety.

In verses 1-8, the bride has a dream sequence in which the groom comes to her, but she rejects him as a bother. Changing her mind, she finds he is gone. The dream gets worse; she searches for her lover but rather encounters abuse. Verse 8 may be part of the dream, or it may be the panicked, disoriented pleas of her as she has just awakened from the nightmare. In verse 9 her friends ask why she is so panicked about her lover and what makes him special. The bride, in verses 10-16, gives a highly sexualized description of her man. We should not assume that this is a moral, intellectual, or spiritual attraction or metaphor. Rather, in this godly marriage there is a raw physical sensual attraction. She wants his body and wants to do things with his body. One aspect of a godly marriage is powerful sexuality.

“Lord, draw husbands and wives to each other in every way. AMEN.”

Song of Solomon 4:8-16

Song of Solomon 4:8-16

As we consider this passage, we can understand, even if we do not agree with the Jewish tradition, that this passage was not to be read by teenage boys. The groom calls his bride out of a dangerous situation. Perhaps their relationship was not approved by family and community, and so they are depicted as lions and leopards. The rush of testosterone and sexual arousal is evident in verses 9-10. In verse 11 we see heavy petting, or making out, to use older terms. To his delight, in open-mouth kissing, he discovered that his bride had placed honey under her tongue. The sight, smell, and now taste of his lover are driving the young man wild with passion. The reference to “my sister, my bride” is not a reference to incest. In that culture, the bond between siblings was considered the strongest of all possible bonds. This couple has a bond that is even closer than that of close siblings. Even in all this heated passion, there is the holy bond and covenant between them. Their marriage is described in verses 12-15 as a beautiful, fertile, well-watered, and private garden; and those delights are exclusive. Their marriage is restricted to each other but open between them. In v 16, she wants her allurements to draw in her husband to the highest level of physical intimacy. We see here heavy foreplay that leads to copulation. 

“Thank you, Lord, for the beauty of sexual attraction and consummation. AMEN.”

Song of Solomon 4:1-7

Song of Solomon 4:1-7

In verse 1:6, the bride is concerned that she does not look good enough for her husband. This love poem is about the husband being enraptured by her beauty. Here is a picture from the husband's perspective of the seductive beauty of his bride. Her body is behind a veil with only her eyes exposed, but they are enough to draw him in. What great seduction there is in modesty. With only her eyes uncovered, her husband sees more. Perhaps the veil is sheer because he sees the perfect smile and the very kissable lips. The charm of the profile of her face or temples is evident. She holds herself erect with a good posture like a tall tower. Her shapeliness is not hidden even if covered; it is not hard for her husband to see, even if only in his mind's eye, her breasts, a perfect pair. He wants to go to one that is perfumed with myrrh and then to the other that is scented with frankincense. He finds her faultless and perfect in body. How powerful and seductive is the beauty of a wife for her husband, and may she not have planned to seduce him?

“Lord, give us an ever-growing appreciation for the beauty of modesty. AMEN.”

Song of Solomon 3:1-11

Song of Solomon 3:1-11

Having spent a night together is the delight of their passion (chapter 2). We see a new development or aspect of the relationship. Many scholars believe verse 1 begins a dream sequence. Her love and passion for her lover are so powerful that they invaded her dream. The dream is a bit of a nightmare. She is looking for her lover. But he is not in bed with her, so she goes looking for him. She finds him and takes him to her childhood home, perhaps a picture of safety, security, and protection.

Verse 5 is a repeat of 2:7 and a reminder that such passionate love can be inconvenient and ought to be postponed until you are ready. But how could a girl not fall head over heels in love with such a hero as described in verses 6-11? Solomon is the perfect combination of all the masculine traits. There is here a depiction of the arousal within a woman that is pursued by a strong, honorable, and heroic man. This is not toxic nor effeminate masculinity but heroic masculinity.

“Lord, raise up men that are models of heroic masculinity. AMEN.”

Song of Solomon 2

Song of Solomon 2

In an effort to maintain some sense of propriety, or unwise prudishness, this book is described as an allegory of the love of God for His people. A simple and more obvious reading is the description of a passionate but holy love story of two young lovers.

One can imagine a young couple deeply in love who have perhaps secretly married. Verse 7 makes reference to the complexity that such a relationship might produce. Verses 8-9 are about their fleeting glances that excite their passion for each other. They're excited by each other's sexuality and recognize that aroused sexuality is linked to fertility in verses 11-13. They are aware that in their passion they might overlook the real challenges that they will face in marriage. Verse 15 is about the reality that any newlywed couple will face. “Don't let little problems wreck your marriage.” Nevertheless, in verse 6 we see her description of making love, and in verses 16-17 we have a description of a night spent together. This chapter is a self-contained ode to holy sexual love.

“Lord, help us to recognize the holiness and purity of sexual love. AMEN.”

Song of Solomon 1:1-17

Song of Solomon 1:1-17

God and the people of faith are often portrayed as the opposition party to love, sex, and joy. This book sets that misunderstanding on its head and shows the correct order of the beauty and wonder of proper erotic love. If Ecclesiastes reflects an old jaded king who looks back on life with regret, Song of Solomon looks forward in hope and anticipation. This collection of poems, sometimes romantic and sometimes erotic, tells us what might be.

Verses 5-10, for example, tell a story every couple can relate to. She feels she is not quite good-looking enough. She hasn’t been pampered, and so she feels her beauty has been diminished by hard work. But her fiancé actually finds the evidence of her hard work desirable. Verses 11-17 are descriptive of a woman at her work but mindful of the object of her desire in the same room. For his part, he is distracted from the table as he notices her. For her part, she wonders what it would be like to spend the night with him as he is breathing the atmosphere of her perfume. They confess their powerful attractions, and then the poem ends and another begins.

“Thank you, Lord, for the beautiful gift of human attraction. AMEN.”

Ecclesiastes 12:1-14

Ecclesiastes 12:1-14

This last chapter has two parts. The first is Solomon’s parting advice, and the second is a sort of afterward. The old king gives a passionate plea to build life on the right foundation. In verse 1 he tells the young to form their lives around their Creator. It sounds as if the old king looks back at life with regrets, and those regrets are centered on the life that was lived without God as the focus. Having built his life on and around the wrong things, as the last stage of life is lived, there is now no delight. Verses 2-6 are symbolic descriptions of the decline of life, health, and body. Verse 7 describes death, and verse 8 describes life not built on faith as “smoke.”

In the afterword of this book, Solomon asserts that his work was a high-quality product. But he points out that the answers to life's greatest questions are never purely academic. The answer is rather a life of faith and holiness before God. That life is the life of greatest joy and peace and is one that is better to bring to Judgment Day.

“Lord, give me the wisdom to build my life on the foundation of my hope, Jesus Christ. AMEN.”

Ecclesiastes 11:1-10

Ecclesiastes 11:1-10

Solomon gives us in this chapter a series of proverbs. The meaning of some is up for debate or dispute. For example, verse 1 has been interpreted as a reference to planting rice, caring for the poor, transporting grain on ships, or sowing seed from a boat when a river is in flood stage. Deep study would be profitable, but for now let's look at the big picture.

Most of the book has been a search for ultimate meaning by a morose and dark teacher. His conclusion is that all of life is smoke, misery, and pointlessness. But here he gives advice more along the lines of “be active doing something productive, and that will make life enjoyable.” Consider, if you will, the days of the winter months, an academic semester, or the drudgery of work. The days are short, and it's dark by suppertime. The weather is gray, cold, and wet; everything is soggy and dull. Thinking work is grim, gray, and trending toward pessimism. We slog and slug through responsibilities at work with grim co-workers. 

But then there is the other side. One day spring comes; bright skies and pleasant warmth have replaced a cold winter rather than gray, cloudy days. The colors are bright with vivid blue skies, white clouds, and flowers of every hue. Rather than the company of grim coworkers or dour professors, we are in the company of delightful people. Rather than walking to class in a gray, cold mist or commuting to work to the rhythm of windshield wipers, we ride with the windows down to go on a picnic or to enjoy a pickup game of softball. Rather than come to the end of the day depleted and drained by the dark thinking and dull work, we end the day energized with joy and love of life.

It is good for us to think and work hard, but we need and must have the joy and delight of love and fun. The strength and energy of a life found in youth are fleeting. The wisdom of years comes slowly. We must have both experiences and make the most of them.

“Lord, in the dull days, moments, and seasons of life, give me the hope of the coming of joy. AMEN.”

Ecclesiastes 10:1-20

Ecclesiastes 10:1-20

As Solomon moves toward the conclusion of his book, he starts to offer a series of proverbs. Proverbs are short, pithy observations that have a much wider application. These proverbs illustrate the point of the last line of Ecclesiastes 9:18, “One sinner destroys much good." For example, in verse 1 it is clear that rotting flies ruin the scent of perfume. But there's a wider application, which is that foolish behaviors ruin the bigger context in which they occur.

Verse 2 sets the pattern for understanding many of the Proverbs that follow. Many contemporary political conservatives apply this jokingly to contemporary political theory, but that is not the point. You can understand this verse by means of a simple test. Write your name and address with your right hand and then with your left. Most of the time we will do our best with our right hand. The point Solomon is making is that a wise person always works from and toward their strength, but a fool doesn't. In the proverbs that follow, Solomon will illustrate that a fool's direction is toward weak decisions.

“Lord, help me move toward the strength you provide. AMEN.”

Ecclesiastes 9:1-18

Ecclesiastes 9:1-18

If we are not careful, it would be easy to reach wrong conclusions based on this chapter. Remember verse breaks are imposed on the text and we're not in the original text. 

So we need to look back at the text as a whole. A critical turning point in this passage is in the second part of verse 3. Solomon laments the universality of human evil and madness. Madness is not insanity or mental illness; it is a behavior contrary to God's will or way. Solomon would have known about the palace intrigues of men with godless agendas. Successful or not, sooner or later all of these plotters die. Think for a moment of the plots and plans of great political movements whose leaders are dead. Do you think Lenin, Marx, Washington, Lincoln, or Alexander the Great currently cares about all their political aspirations? It is pure folly to pour one's life into something that is so transitory as politics, business, or culture shaping. Better is a day spent on a date with your wife than in high-level plotting. Even the rescue of a city by a humble man is soon forgotten.

“Give me, Lord, the right priorities for the life You have given me. AMEN." 

Ecclesiastes 8:1-17

Ecclesiastes 8:1-17

One gets the impression that Solomon looks back over the years and his reign with a less than positive opinion. How many people in their youth enter their career or adulthood with high expectations and dreams but get caught up in the process and come to an end and say it's “meaningless”? In the first part of chapter 8, we see that Solomon was aware that his high expectation for his rule may have been polluted. As his edicts were filtered through members of his court with less noble goals, they were corrupted. His dreams of a golden age of justice got lost between his youthful heart and the street-level reality near the end of his reign. 

Verses 10 and 14 asked the question, “Why did bad things happen to good people and vice versa?” Verses 16-17 offer the conclusion that no one, not even the wisest king in all the world, can find the answer to that question. Verse 15 seems to be a concession to the enigma of life. Enjoy while you can the life God gives you. Aspirational goals and dreams tend not to end up as our legacy. Our legacy is in the sum total of the joy in the moments we live.

“Lord, help me hold every moment as precious. AMEN.”

Ecclesiastes 7:15-29

Ecclesiastes 7:15-29

In every generation there are those who want to ‘appear’ holy in the extreme, and there are those who want to appear to be super intellectual, v. 16. Others work for a reputation of being the ‘bad, tough guy,’ v. 17. All of us, to some degree, live as posers, pretenders, and hypocrites; no one is completely free from the evil of this kind of personal facade.

Solomon sets out on a discovery process to, by careful research, discover the headwaters of wisdom, evil, and foolishness. Here is where that journey takes an unexpected turn. We might expect this intellectual savant to finally render a concise, cogent theory and explanation. Instead, we see him delve into a discourse on the misery of bad women. The number 1,000, in verse 28, is no fluke. That was the approximate size of Solomon's harem. 

Solomon couldn't treat intellectual endeavors apart from the condition of his own heart. Our intellect and emotions are not two engines that operate separately. The bitterness of the soul always shapes or corrupts our thinking. God gave us the option of being upright, and we wrecked it. 

“Lord, help me see how my soul and mind must work together. AMEN.”

Ecclesiastes 7:1-14

 Ecclesiastes 7:1-14

After the low point of chapter 6, Solomon answers the unasked question, “Where might wisdom be found?” The answer is counterintuitive to most of our lives.

We spend a great deal of time, energy, and resources attempting to distract ourselves from difficult things. But there are times when the shallow, banal, and tinny entertainments are blown away like dust in the wind. In this passage Solomon mentions several unpleasant occasions that can be times for real and meaningful maturing. It is in suffering that we have real spiritual growth and progress. Who has ever said, “I had a great spiritual insight at an amusement park"? But at the funeral of a loved one, after a bad diagnosis, or in the midst of suffering, we tend to ask better questions. 

Much of our culture is built around the industry of frivolous distractions. This is like burning thorns in a fire; they burn fast and bright. Not nearly long enough to give off any heat. Enjoy life, but also gain value from or out of adversity.

“Lord, keep me from the shallowness of the soul and teach me in the difficult moments of life. AMEN.”

Ecclesiastes 6:1-12

Ecclesiastes 6:1-12

One is apt to wonder if this chapter is not the emotional autobiography of Solomon. It is easy to imagine the aged king, knowing that his end is near, reflecting on his life and coming to the conclusion that he climbed to the top of the ladder and found the ladder was in the wrong place. With massive wealth, numerous children, and years of reign, he wonders if he would have been better off as a miscarriage. Was Solomon envious of his brother who died in infancy? 

Note the discontentment that Solomon has in his inner being in verse 9. The Vulgate translates this as “It is better to see what one desires than to covet what one knows not." Having achieved everything possible, Solomon still had an emptiness in his soul. It seems the more he talked about it, the less meaningful the conversation was. In his prime the question was “What next?” With the end near, the question has become, “What is to follow? What is my legacy?" Suddenly the life of power, wealth, luxury, and pleasure is not a life to be envied.

“Lord, grant me a life that will grow more full before You. AMEN.”

Ecclesiastes 5:1-20

Ecclesiastes 5:1-20

Chapter 5 seems a little disjointed until we find the common theme that unites it: temple worship (vs 1-7), the consuming power of bureaucracy (vs 8-9), and the frustration associated with the spending of wealth (vs 10-17).

In the first case a person makes a sacrificial commitment but, for whatever reason, doesn't keep it. What a terrible thing to do—to make a promise to God but not keep that promise. Apparently these people were led by the impulse of dreams (vs. 3 & 7). It is better to live in faith and fear of God than to make promises you don’t keep. In the second case the ever-present hand of taxes eats away at what has been saved. Taxes were taken from the local agent all the way up the chain to the king. In the third case is the man who feels he just can't get ahead. With passionate love for wealth, he pursues it but never gets enough. Sometimes it is an investment gone bad. In some cases it is that the more he owns, the more he must spend to keep or maintain his wealth. Verse 17 is a powerful warning picture of the person who makes wealth a priority. 

So what is the answer? a steady life of faith, contentment, and work done for God's glory.

“Lord, let all that I am doing be done for Your glory. AMEN."

Ecclesiastes 4:1-16

Ecclesiastes 4:1-16 

Not having confidence in any long-term effect of the reform project of chapter 3, Solomon looks at the hardships in his kingdom. He says the dead and the unborn are better off than those living under oppression. As king, why doesn't he do something? The answer is hidden in verse 4. The motivation for action is rivalry, also translated as ‘envy’ or 'jealousy.' No decree, no royal edict will remove envy from the heart. The best countermeasure to envy is contentment: contentment is not indolence (v. 5), but it is never achieved by the pursuit of more (v. 8). Contentment is not just a matter of material possessions but also being part of a community. This community is a life that comes from committed human interaction and can never come from owning stuff.

Solomon moves to an archetypical story of a bad king who is replaced by a young wise successor who was, apparently, oppressed and in jail. His ascension to power is cause for celebration. But before long the people are not happy with this king either. It leaves us with the question: “Was there something wrong in his heart or in the hearts of the people?”

“Lord, give me a heart that is at peace with You and finds contentment in relationships. AMEN.”

Ecclesiastes 3:16-22

Ecclesiastes 3:16-22

After expressing hope that man can find meaning in his search for God (eternity in his heart), the author is confronted with another vanity or smoke. The author finds wickedness in two places: the courts and the religious institutions. A friend of mine recently faced an unfair, even false, accusation. It is hard to contemplate eternity in the heart when under the threat of injustice. It is also equally difficult to do so in the face of the evil of religious immorality.

This passage is difficult for us because the Hebrew word translated “spirit” can also be translated “breath,” as in the biological function of the lungs. Solomon is not questioning the immortality of the soul. He is pointing out that in the midst of injustice and irreligiousness, man is little better than an animal.

It is not hard to find injustice in government and wrong in the church. It is also easy to get wrapped up in a crusade to set things right. The problem is reform campaigns often fall into the trap of the same vice that they hope to correct. Since we can't predict the future of our reform measures, the best we can do is be happy with what we are doing.

“Lord, help me not to put my trust in religious movements or our government authorities but rather always in you. AMEN.”

Ecclesiastes 3:1-15

Ecclesiastes 3:1-15

This most famous of all passages from the book, due to the song by The Byrds, is a bit of an enigma. But if we look at the greater context, it comes into focus. Verse 9 asks the question of what the point of everything is. In verses 2-8 we see the sum is zero. Each couplet comes to nothing. Almost as if to say “birth plus death” equals zero. We are returned to the opening of the book: “Meaningless, meaningless, all is meaningless.”

Clarity comes to us in verse 11. The word often translated “beautiful” is easier to understand as “appropriate” or “fitting.” There's a balance and symmetry in creation and life. That symmetry awakes in the heart of man as “eternity.” As we look at the world and its complexity and simplicity and balance, man realizes there is something more. There is a longing, a hunger in the hearts of man for something beyond. Which explains the last part of verse 11. Without this awakened hunger, man would never inquire about his Creator. In God we began to seek meaning.

“Lord, help all things drive me to seek and to know You. AMEN.” 

Ecclesiastes 2:18-26

Ecclesiastes 2:18-26

One has to wonder if Solomon, approaching the end of his life, didn't look at his heir and future king in despair. Solomon's reign was larger than life, so grand as to seem mythic. But as he looks at the future king, perhaps, he realizes it will all be for nothing. His vast wealth, political influence, and expansive knowledge will, he fears, be squandered.

Part of the human condition is to deeply desire a lasting and meaningful contribution to those we will leave behind. But how can we be sure? Rehoboam was 41 years old when he began his disastrous reign. Did Solomon see in the 30-something-year-old prince the telltale marks of future failure?

What could be done in view of his heartbreak? Verse 24 is not so much an invitation to an indulgent life. That has been tried, and it failed. It is more than just focusing on the moment. There is more to it than taking nourishment and seeing the good of the effort. Rather than tormenting the mind on failure that might come, this is an invitation to see how honest work honestly done now can be a springboard to honoring God. 

“Lord, give me a life that is a positive legacy for the generations to come. AMEN.”

Ecclesiastes 2:1-17

Ecclesiastes 2:1-17

The new field of academic research known as "happiness studies" is nothing new. Solomon applies a systematic and rigorous approach to his pursuit of pleasure. With almost limitless resources and a sharp mind, he investigates how to be happy. His area of investigation is paralleled all over the world today. Using modern language, he had comic entertainment and a massive wine cellar, enjoyed natural beauty in his parks and gardens, and ate gourmet foods. He worked on meaningful projects of building and construction; grand estates were his home; he had a massive staff, so he never did anything distasteful and could indulge in any sexual adventure he desired.

He draws three conclusions from this long, massive effort and research project. First, all the pursuit of happiness is smoke and trying to catch the wind. Second, while their end is the same, there is a small advantage of the wise over the foolish. Third, the wise man and the fool both die and are forgotten. The conclusion of this great happiness study is “So I hated life…”

“Lord, protect me from my own appetites. AMEN."

Crowe's Nest Update

 

Ecclesiastes 1

Ecclesiastes 1

This is without a doubt one of the most enigmatic books in the Bible. But also a book that speaks to the universal human condition. The author opens famously with “vanity of vanities.” This word “vanity” or “futility” should better be translated literally as "smoke." The vigorous effort to capture something is like trying to grab smoke. For all the human effort to capture happiness, we are still chasing smoke. Happiness studies and the pursuit of happiness represent 1.5 trillion dollars a year in spending, but no one can grasp that elusive smoke. Two key points from this chapter. First, if you think you are someone else who will discover the missing secret of happiness, you're wasting your time. In verses 3-11 Solomon makes the point that the greatest of research hasn't produced the answer. Second, there's something wrong even if we can never articulate or find that missing part. Verse 15 tells us something is wrong or missing, but we don’t know what we don’t know. We can't account for what is not there. So where do we go for the answer? It comes at the end of the book, but that destination takes us down a twisting, turning, fascinating road.

“Help me, Lord, to hold all of life with an open hand and not to try to grasp the smoke. AMEN.”