The writer of Ecclesiastes says that there comes a day when life has no enjoyment - the productive years of our life comes to an end. We no longer have a spirit of adventure but are content to remain secure at home.

He says that there is a day when the (6) “silver cord is broken and the golden bowl is crushed” - our consciousness is extinguished. The “pitcher by the well is shattered and the wheel at the cistern is crushed” - the well runs dry - our bodies stop working. And, (7) “the dust will return to the earth as it was.”

(8) “Vanity of vanities,” says the preacher, “all is vanity!” - futility - emptiness - hopeless.

In Ecclesiastes 3:20 Solomon - the writer - makes this pronouncement about our lives: “All go to the same place. All came from the dust and all return to the dust.” We get on the rollercoaster - we go around - we get off - so what?

Many people see no purpose to their lives - they try to cover the emptiness with activity and religion - and they come to the end of life and see only emptiness and futility.

God in His Bible tells us that our lives are not without purpose - that life is not a vain thing. And to experience meaning and purpose in life we need to trust God - to place our lives in His hands - His will and purpose for us.

12:1: “Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth before the evil days come” - the last years of your life. 12:13 “The conclusion, when all has been heard - after all this emptiness and vain activity the conclusion is this - fear God and keep His commandments. For God will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil” - what we do really has an eternal significance.

When I saw _____ for the last time - it was shortly after I saw her that she slipped into a coma and died. I have on several occasions visited with people just before they died. And I can tell - by the way the face death - how they have lived their lives. Whether they have lived without purpose - pursuing things to fill their time and emptiness here. Or, whether they have lived trusting God - in obedience to Him - following His plan and significant purpose for their lives.

Those who live in futility face death with fear. And they either try to hang onto life by any means or they resign themselves to the inevitable - and they are angry and bitter.

When I visited with _____ - it was like talking with someone about to go on a long journey - she was going away and we wouldn’t see each other for a long time. She asked about my family - my grandmother - our kids. She talked about my great-grandmother whom she knew in Egypt.

She was at peace. Like a great matriarch she was pronouncing blessings and attending to last minute details with her family. There was no fear or uncertainty. She said that she was ready to go and was tired of waiting. This is the way she faced life and this is the way she faced death.

There was purpose and certainty - she knew her Lord - she knew where she was going - and the God that she had trusted and obeyed all of her life - who had given significance and purpose to her life - is the same God that she has gone to be with in death.

God tells us in Romans 6:23 that, “The wages of sin is death” - that what we earn by living in sin and apart from God is death - eternal death. And that really is a hopeless end to life. But, God says, “the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Trust in Jesus as our Savior and we have life - death is not the end - there is an eternity with God that awaits us.

And this is the reality of life that _____ knew and lived her life by. Trusting in God - obeying God - and now living with God.

Today, this is our hope. Life is not an empty futile thing. Because God loves us - He gave His Son - so that we might be saved from sin and death and have a relationship with Him. He gives value and significance and purpose to our lives - eternal significance - and eternal life.

I often wish that there was something I could say to help take away the feelings of loss and separation. And, after a lot of thought and prayer I have come to the conclusion that there really isn’t anything that can be said that takes away the pain.

I want to express to you my sympathies - and the sympathies of our entire congregation - because we know what you are feeling - we’ve felt it. And we will continue to stand with you in prayer and presence. And trust. Because there is comfort in loss - because we know that _____ is with her Savior - and we, who also trust Him as our Savior, will one day be together again.