7 Truly the light is sweet, And it is pleasant for the eyes to behold the sun; 8 But if a man lives many years And rejoices in them all, Yet let him remember the days of darkness, For they will be many. All that is coming is vanity.
Ecclesiastes 11:7-8
We should seek to make the most of this life. We only have one life to live. Beholding the sun is pleasant and wonderful. However, our opportunities to witness sunrises and sunsets on this planet are finite.
Paul commands us to “redeem the time because the days are evil.” (Galatians 6) Even if we live to a great age, death is still coming for all of us (Hebrews 9:27). Make the most of your time, friend.
Lost people need to know Jesus. The Church has members who need ministry. Let us not be slothful with our time. Let us invest our time in the service of our King!
Life is short. We have heard that saying before and perhaps we have uttered that statement ourselves. The saying itself is so common as to border on cliché. Yet, we know there is much truth in this statement. Our time on earth is limited and it passes so quickly.
As Christians, perhaps we should take stock of our lives from time to time. What are doing that is going to last? Are we using our time wisely? Or, are we wasting our lives on foolish pursuits that we will never amount to anything?
Paul tells us “Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.” (Ephesians 5:15-16) It is vital that we make good use of our time. We only have one life to live. May we live it for the glory of God.
How can we accomplish this? One way is to continue in God’s Word. Frequent Bible study will keep us focused on the eternal so we will not get caught up in the temporary.
Another way to redeem the time is through worship. Worship keeps our hearts tuned in to Christ and helps us to remember to live as wise ones instead of fools. Worship helps our thinking to remain strong and centers us upon the things God—the only things that will last.
Sharing our faith will encourage us to make the most of every opportunity. As we share the gospel regularly, we will are reminded that our ultimate home is heaven and not earth. Witnessing will direct us to a greater cause than simply getting through the day. Seeing someone come to know Christ is a great way to “seize the day.”
My prayer, is that we would examine ourselves and that God would reveal areas that need to change. May we live with Godly wisdom as our guide. Let us redeem the time and make good use of the incredible gift of life we have received from God.
5 As you do not know what is the way of the wind, Or how the bones grow in the womb of her who is with child, So you do not know the works of God who makes everything. 6 In the morning sow your seed, And in the evening do not withhold your hand; For you do not know which will prosper, Either this or that, Or whether both alike will be good.
Ecclesiastes 11:5-6
This wisdom in this Scripture passage is so valuable for Christians. We don’t understand how the Lord works nor will we ever be able to fully comprehend the ways of God in this life. Until we can learn to live with this tension, we will never grow in our faith. If we demand that God explain Himself, we will live lives of confusion, panic, and desperation. It is far better to accept this fact and trust Him by faith.
Solomon uses two examples in these verses. We cannot trace the ways of the wind. We may understand it better in our day. However, the dynamics of wind remain not fully understood, even today. For instance, why do tornadoes move as they do? Why do tornadoes destroy certain homes but leave others untouched? We simply don’t know.
We cannot understand fully how babies form in the womb. Certainly, we know much more about the gestation process in our day than they did in Solomon’s time. The mystery of childbirth persists. While our understanding of the “what” has increased, the underlying reasons—the “why”—remain to be explored. My point is not to give a biology lesson. I only mean to remind us that life is enigmatic and difficult to ascertain.
Paul tells us “we walk by faith and not sight.” (2 Corinthians 5:7) God doesn’t make us privy to everything He does to grow our faith. Trust Him, Believer!
The Lord loves unity among His people. His desire is to see His people living in oneness. Christ is glorified as we, His people, relate to one another in unity. Consider these verses:
Psalm 133:1 Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity!
John 17:11 “I am no longer in the world; and yet they themselves are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep them in Your name, the name which You have given Me, that they may be one even as We are.
John 17:22 “The glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one;
John 17:23 I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me.
Ephesians 4:1-3 Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love, being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
Ephesians 4:23 Until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.
Colossians 3:14 Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.
May we continue to grow in oneness, unity, and love!
3 If the clouds are full of rain, They empty themselves upon the earth; And if a tree falls to the south or the north, In the place where the tree falls, there it shall lie. 4 He who observes the wind will not sow, And he who regards the clouds will not reap.
Ecclesiastes 11:4-3
These verses are somewhat cryptic in nature. What is meant by these sentences? Perhaps the writer is reminding us of the inevitable fact that all things eventually end in this life. Nothing lasts forever “under the sun.”
The clouds form, give rain, move, and then vanish. Trees are planted, they grow, and eventually, they die and fall. The inevitable monotony of life goes through these cycles many times per day unhindered.
As humans, we realize that our lives are limited. This realization ought to spur us on to make the most of the time we have left. We will face God one day—may we commit to spending our lives wisely for Christ.
1 Cast your bread upon the waters, For you will find it after many days. 2 Give a serving to seven, and also to eight, For you do not know what evil will be on the earth.
Ecclesiastes 11:1-2
This week we continue looking at wisdom for the day. How can we live among the vagaries and vanities of life? Let’s explore.
The preacher’s teaching instructs us to be wise stewards of our resources. His theme in these verses is investing for the future. We are called to prepare for the future and be wise in how we lay aside present and future provision realizing that God is the source of all that we have been given.
Verse 2 addresses reducing risk through investment diversification. This advice is wise in monetary investing. This principle can also be relevant in relationships and various other aspects of life. Let us invest in a wide variety of people so that we will have the friends we need when we need them.
In Verse 6, Solomon echoes this theme of wise stewardship. The verse reads “In the morning sow your seed, And in the evening do not withhold your hand; For you do not know which will prosper, Either this or that.” Once again, diversity of investments is wise and provides a hedge against failed crops and failed speculations. Investing in relationships, however, brings a far greater reward.
5 There is an evil I have seen under the sun, As an error proceeding from the ruler: 6 Folly is set in great dignity, While the rich sit in a lowly place. 7 I have seen servants on horses, While princes walk on the ground like servants. 8 He who digs a pit will fall into it, And whoever breaks through a wall will be bitten by a serpent. 9 He who quarries stones may be hurt by them, And he who splits wood may be endangered by it. 10 If the ax is dull, And one does not sharpen the edge, Then he must use more strength; But wisdom brings success. 11 A serpent may bite when it is not charmed; The babbler is no different. 12 The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious, But the lips of a fool shall swallow him up; 13 The words of his mouth begin with foolishness, And the end of his talk is raving madness. 14 A fool also multiplies words. No man knows what is to be; Who can tell him what will be after him? 15 The labor of fools wearies them, For they do not even know how to go to the city! 16 Woe to you, O land, when your king is a child, And your princes feast in the morning! 17 Blessed are you, O land, when your king is the son of nobles, And your princes feast at the proper time– For strength and not for drunkenness! 18 Because of laziness the building decays, And through idleness of hands the house leaks. 19 A feast is made for laughter, And wine makes merry; But money answers everything. 20 Do not curse the king, even in your thought; Do not curse the rich, even in your bedroom; For a bird of the air may carry your voice, And a bird in flight may tell the matter.
Ecclesiastes 10:5-20
The inane madness of this world is seen very readily today just as it was in the days of the King. It is meaningless and insane. Once again, the preacher breaks it down for us to see in plain fashion. Here are some thoughts about the madness of life.
**Solomon begins by telling us that the fool ends up in authority. This is one example of the vanity of life on this earth. Not every leader is a fool. However, some truly are. It’s illogical, yet undeniably true.
**Though work is good and healthy, it can also be harmful in certain cases. Work doesn’t mean that all our wishes and desires will be fulfilled. Working hard does not guarantee material wealth.
**The foolish receive recognition and fame. Those who seem to be the least worthy of recognition receive fame and fortune. In our day, we have folks who are famous for nothing. They haven’t achieved anything of significance. But somehow, they end up well-known and even adored.
**At times, rulers are self-seeking and foolish. This thought should not surprise us. Solomon has made this point several times already in the book of Ecclesiastes.
**Laziness can also lead to disaster. Some give in to laziness and fail to take care of God’s blessings. The results of this folly can be devastating not just for the slothful one but also for his/her family. God has blessed us with much and we ought to take care of it.
**Finally, Solomon teaches us that our words can be used against us. I would imagine that has happened to you. To be fair, sometimes we use our words to tear down and destroy and that is wrong. At times, language intended for positive purposes may be misused, resulting in misinformation or misrepresentation.
14There was a little city with few men in it; and a great king came against it, besieged it, and built great snares around it. 15 Now there was found in it a poor wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city. Yet no one remembered that same poor man. 16 Then I said: “Wisdom is better than strength.Nevertheless the poor man’s wisdom is despised,And his words are not heard.17 Words of the wise, spoken quietly, should be heardRather than the shout of a ruler of fools.18 Wisdom is better than weapons of war;But one sinner destroys much good.”
Ecclesiastes 9:14-18
Proper wisdom occupies the last portion of this text. Christian, seek Godly wisdom through His Word, the Holy Spirit, and His people. Wisdom is needed now more than ever.
We can live our lives through the power of God. We don’t have to do this alone. Christ came to this earth to live for us, die for us, and He rose again to verify that all that He said and did was truth. Relationship with Christ is available. “The wages of sin is death, but, the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23) “And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another.” (1st John 3:23)
The Bible speaks often about light. The word light appears over seventy times in the New Testament alone. Today, we will consider a few thoughts about light.
**God created light.
Genesis 1:3 Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light.
**Jesus is the light.
John 8:12 Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, “I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.”
**We are to shine the light by living in Christ-likeness.
Matthew 5:16 “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.
**As Believers, we will bask in the light of Christ forever.
Revelation 21:3 And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.
**Let us draw closer to Christ and closer to one another by living in the Light!
1 John 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
One Sabbath Jesus was going through the grainfields, and his disciples began to pick some heads of grain, rub them in their hands and eat the kernels. 2 Some of the Pharisees asked, “Why are you doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?” 3 Jesus answered them, “Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry? 4 He entered the house of God, and taking the consecrated bread, he ate what is lawful only for priests to eat. And he also gave some to his companions.” 5 Then Jesus said to them, “The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”
Luke 6:1-5
In our journey through life, we often encounter the profound question: Who is Jesus? This inquiry isn’t just academic; it’s deeply personal and transformative. As we turn to the Gospel of Luke, chapter 6, we find a passage that offers profound insights into the nature and identity of Jesus Christ.
Let’s explore a powerful truth about Jesus that emerges from this scripture:
**Jesus is Lord of All
In a bold declaration that shook the religious establishment of His time, Jesus proclaimed Himself “Lord of the Sabbath.” This wasn’t just a casual statement; it was a thunderclap of divine authority. By asserting His lordship over the Sabbath, Jesus was claiming authority over one of the most sacred institutions in Jewish life.
When questioned about His disciples plucking grain on the Sabbath, Jesus reminded His critics of how David, when hungry, ate the consecrated bread from the temple. In doing so, Jesus wasn’t merely justifying His actions; He was declaring a new order. The old was passing away, and a new covenant was dawning with Jesus at its center.
mrtonyfrench 