Ecclesiastes

Ecclesiastes explores the meaning of life and explains why so much that captivates us can prove to be vanity.
The blue swirling patterns represent the “chasing after wind.” Within them are written the very things people often spend their lives pursuing: houses, labor, drink, time, riches, wisdom, and more. These swirling forms suggest the futility of pleasures, possessions, achievements, and even many of the abstract things to which we give our time and hearts.

On the left, a child is being lifted. On the right, there is a tomb. Between them are scenes from the whole span of life. A woman sits at a vanity, reminding us both of personal pride and of the ordinary routines of life. In the lower left corner, a rich woman and a poor beggar stand in contrast. There are young and old alike, and all of it takes place “under the sun.”

If you look closely in the upper left, you will see the hand of God not quite touching a gyroscope. To me, that small detail points to a great truth: God is in control of everything, even when life seems uncertain, unstable, or difficult to understand.

Ecclesiastes speaks of the vanity of life apart from God and calls us to fear the Lord. The purpose of this painting is to bring us back to that reality: from the womb to the tomb, our true purpose is to worship God.