Good
Morning All,
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
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