In one place God tells us there is nothing new under the sun – what is, is what shall be, been there done that, meaningless-ness all around, around the globe we go, where it stops nobody knows – same ol same ol (Ecc. 1-3).

In other places God tells us that his mercies are new to us each morning, the newness of Life has come in Christ, and that this new day is the day that the Lord has made – a new cause for hope and joy in God (Lam. 3:23, 2 Cor. 5:16-18, Psalm 118:24).

We live in tension of unending grasping for meaning and unending receiving of mercy. We live in tension with hum-drum, ho-hum days and the Lord’s making something new for us today. We live with one foot in this cynical, cyclical merry-go-round where deja vu is a normal abnormality, and one foot in the new heavens and new earth. For the follower of Jesus Christ, it’s a hybrid experience. The challenge is to keep setting your mind on things above and not upon the earth, under the sun, where there is no real hope. Your real hope is above the sun, where the origin of new things keep coming from, where the risen Christ is seated on the throne.

Cynicism, despair, and hopelessness permeates this life, and for three good reasons:

1. You’re still going to die and leave everything behind – no matter what (Ecc. 2:18).

2. You can do everything right and still end up holding the short end of the stick (Ecc. 6:1-12).

3. You can experience whatever is humanly possible and still feel unfulfilled (Ecc. 2:1-17).

Here is what Christ offers under the sun until he returns:

1. Mercy for monotonous days. He provides contentment in simplicity without providing any assurance that tomorrow will be any better or worse (Ecc. 3:9-15, 5:12; Heb. 13:5). You have to trust him.

2. Mercy for accepting poverty along with wealth. No one knows what tomorrow holds. But you can know the one who holds tomorrow (Ecc. 3:6, 22; James 4:13-17). You have to trust him.

3. Mercy for growing old. While the eyes keep dimming you can see that God is fitting your heart for never growing old (Ecc. 12:3b; 2 Cor. 4:16). You have to trust him.

The End of the Matter: God sent his Son under the sun to be crucified for your sins. He rose from the dead and ascended through the clouds and above the sun. Those who “love his appearing” when he returns will be ready to be ushered into eternity, where God promises to make all things new. You have to trust him.