9-22-2017

Good Morning All,

              Ecclesiastes 12:13; “The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man”

     What to do?  When given a choice; how do you choose one way over another?  When your spouse asks you what you want for supper; how do you decide?  What factors weigh in?  Perhaps what you had for supper the last few days matters.  Perhaps what you have in the pantry or freezer plays a role in what you ask for.  Perhaps what time you are asked matters; if you get asked 30 minutes before supper; it is not much good to ask for a meal that takes all day to make.  Perhaps how you feel plays in; if you are not very hungry or if you feel famished can impact what you want for supper.  We make many choices through the day.  Choose one way to go or pay the consequences of your choice.

    Our verse takes a look at what is or should be important in our life.  The writer of the Book of Ecclesiastes looks at all that was accomplished in his life and wondered about it.  He wondered what good it did to earn lots of money.  He wondered what happened when you worked hard to earn that money and then, upon your death, the one who inherits the money simply fritters it away.  What was the value of earning all that money?

    Some will tell you that you should only worry about yourself and in doing what gives you pleasure or enjoyment.  Do what feels good to you and that is how you enjoy life; yet we know what happens if we follow this course; we end up needing more and more in order to achieve this empty happiness and soon we are never happy.

    The writer has a lot to say but in the end he tells us that life apart from God is a waste of time and of a life.  He is telling us that our contentment, our sense of balance within our life, our sense of what is good and right, our sense of well-being comes from fulfilling our basic life purpose and that is to serve God by loving one another and taking care of creation.  This is where we find our true contentment and joy not because God makes us do this like some robot but because that is our true nature.  It is when we follow our true nature that we find true contentment.

    This is why so many struggle with their life; they are not seeking to live as God has designed us to liv but rather they are seeking the sinful path which is selfishness and is empty and void of value.  At the end of this life is usually someone who is disappointed and depressed at the hollowness of the life they lived. 

    So God shows us that true contentment in this lifetime comes from obeying his commandments.  If your life feels out of balance; look to see if you are living according to God’s will or your own.  This will usually tell you what the resolution to the struggles that we face.

Father, all good things come from you.  Lead us to see that our joy and contentment comes from your hand and from following your will.  Lead me in your paths. Show me your salvation.  In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret