Category: Ecclesiastes

Reading

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SAA Notes

Wisdom and Stupidity are good subjects for every person to learn about and think through. What do you think about verses 15-18? Read them in another translation too.

SJA Notes

“Consider the work of God: who can make straight what he has made crooked?”

This is a verse of _denseness_. Lots to chew over.

We are driven by the Preacher to continue to humble ourselves under God’s sovereign will.

Because God makes some things crooked.

What can we do about that? What can the lame man do? What can the blind woman do? What can the child born with life-long issues do?

Do we get angry with God for not making us all perfect?

God does not see as we do, our limited and finite, our _mortal_ view.

God sees to the heart, to the truth.

We are a crooked humanity, all of us. None of us is perfect, regardless of how we look on the outside.

And through our frail clay jars God glorifies Himself.

What God has made crooked is as important as what He has made straight.

* Father God,

Please teach us from Your word today, a little piece of wisdom or a great turning moment.

Please show us Jesus today.

Thank You for saving us from our sin.

Amen.

Reading

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SAA Notes

Don’t let the evils of life rob you of your faith in God and your pleasure in the ordinary joys of life.

SJA Notes

“… and to accept his lot and rejoice in his toil …”

To accept our lot.

Sometimes we get so wrapped up in righteous indignation at perceived inequality and injustice, our focus driven by our jealousy or our weakness – That we rail against God’s sovereign will for us.

It is hard when we see others in a different situation to us, particularly when that situation is graded as “better” by the world around us.

However, God is clear. Solomon’s words tell us pointedly,

“Behold, what I have seen to be good and fitting is to eat and drink and find enjoyment in all the toil with which one toils under the sun the few days of his life that God has given him, for this is his lot.”

THIS IS OUR LOT.

“Everyone also to whom God has given wealth and possessions and power to enjoy them, and to accept his lot and rejoice in his toil – this is the gift of God.”

God doesn’t ask us to feel guilty about having wealth and possessions that came about through His providence. And we should take care not to make others suffer this guilt either.

Instead we are to remember that our _lot_ is from the Lord.

Where we are in life, our situation, our blessings (temporal and spiritual, earthly and heavenly) – These are from the Lord.

It is HIS will that we submit under.

Peter’s words in 1 Peter chapter 5 are a fantastic exhortation to us in this!

“Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.”

* Sovereign God,

Thank You for Your grace and mercy to us.

You give to us what we do not deserve.

You do not give to us what we do deserve.

Please help us wrestle with our lot in life, the lot You have given us.

Your Will be done here on earth Lord God,

Amen.

Reading

Audio, Visual

SAA Notes

We take satisfaction in our work and this is right, but the terrible reality we must face in the earth is that we more often meet with injustice and corruption than with justice.

SJA Notes

“And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him – a threefold cord is not quickly broken.”

It does seem that Solomon’s words here are pointing us to the folly of SELF-centeredness and the wisdom of OTHER-centeredness.

When we are together, it is better. We help each other up. We share warmth.

It is wisdom (better) for God’s people to be together, striving for unity (See 1 Corinthians 1:10 and Ephesians 4:11-13).

Of primary important is that we are found (together) with Jesus, rooted and established in Him, as we read in Colossians 2:6-7,

“Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.”

We are not alone when we are found in Jesus.

* Gracious Father,

Thank You for the wonderful goodness that You bring about when Your people when we gather together in Your love.

Please remind us that gathering together is a good thing for us to do, it is for our benefit!

And thank You Lord for Jesus – He is the vine from which we the branches gather. He is the head of the body, He is the capstone, the cornerstone, the crux of all that matters.

Amen.