Hi, I'm Sheridan Voizzi, and thank you for joining me for this word of encouragement

from the Our Daily Bread Diversional.

I've titled today's reading, True Happiness.

In the 10th century, Abdul Rahman III was the ruler of Cordoba, Spain. After 50 years of successful reign,

beloved by my subjects, dreaded by my enemies and respected by my allies, Al-Raman took a deeper look at his

life. Riches and honours, power and pleasure have waited on my call, he said of his privileges.

But when he counted how many days of genuine happiness he'd had during that time,

they amounted to just 14. How sobering.

The writer of Ecclesiastes was also a man of riches and honour, power and pleasure,

and his own life

evaluation was equally sobering. Riches, he realised, just led to a desire for more, while pleasures

accomplished little, and success could be due to chance as much as ability. But his assessment

didn't end as bleakly as Al-Ramans.

Believing God was his ultimate source of happiness, he saw that eating, working, and doing good could all be enjoyed when done with him.

O man, Al-Raman concluded his reflections,

Place not thy confidence in this present world.

The writer of Ecclesiastes would agree.

Since we've been made for eternity,

earthly pleasures and achievements weren't satisfied by themselves,

but with him in our lives,

genuine happiness is possible in our eating, working and living.

Today's scripture reading is from Ecclesiastes chapter 3, verses 9 to 14.

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