The Joy of Glory

Discovering endless joy in the boundless glory of God…

Tag: Ecclesiastes

March 10, 2014

Lent Devotional: Ecclesiastes 6

Ecclesiastes 6 (click here)
Whatever has come to be has already been named, and it is known what man is, and that he is not able to dispute with one stronger than he.11 The more words, the more vanity, and what is the advantage to man?12 For who knows what is good for man while he lives the few days of his vain life, which he passes like a shadow? For who can tell man what will be after him under the sun? (Ecclesiastes 6:10-12)

Reflection
Solomon recognizes that God is the one who has “named” all things…in other words…God rules over all things and man cannot argue with the ways of God. To try is to just produce vain words. But, the real question is why do we try to argue with God instead of trusting him?

We can’t even tell what will “be after us under the sun…” meaning that we don’t know what is going to happen in life. All we have is the present moment. We cannot see the whole of time from beginning to end as God can…so of course things often do not make sense to us and seem meaningless. Yet, while we complain about the seeming random edges of the puzzle piece of life we possess…God sees the whole puzzle coming together according to his perfect design.

Our response to the Lord should be trust. After all, it is vanity to argue with the one who is sovereign. The only response that makes sense and the only response that brings comfort by placing us in God’s sovereign care…is…trust. We live by trust…we live by faith.

 

*The complete SVCC Lenten reading guide is available here.

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March 9, 2014

Lent Devotional: Ecclesiastes 5

Ecclesiastes 5 (click here)
He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves wealth with his income; this also is vanity. (Ecclesiastes 5:10)

There is a grievous evil that I have seen under the sun: riches were kept by their owner to his hurt, 14 and those riches were lost in a bad venture. And he is father of a son, but he has nothing in his hand. 15 As he came from his mother’s womb he shall go again, naked as he came, and shall take nothing for his toil that he may carry away in his hand. (Ecclesiastes 5:13-15)

Reflection
“He who dies with the most toys wins!” Has there every been a larger lie than that? Solomon is right to point out that he who dies with the most toys loses…for he literally loses everything! Even if one doesn’t lose their wealth in a “bad venture” death takes it from them. We came into the world empty handed and that is how we will leave.

Wealth doesn’t satisfy our hearts in life or in death. The eternal answer to the question, “How much money does a person need?”…is always…just a little bit more. Like everything else Solomon has encountered so far, he knows that riches cannot ultimately satisfy because they are not ultimate…eternal. If we don’t lose our wealth in life, then we will in death.

Again, we see that we were made to be satisfied with the eternal, and eternal joy can only be found in one place…one person. Psalm 16:11, “…in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” Only in Christ do we find eternal, unfading satisfaction. He is the only source of eternal wealth. He who dies with the most JOY wins…and eternal joy is found in Jesus.

 

*The complete SVCC Lenten reading guide is available here.

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March 8, 2014

Lent Devotional: Ecclesiastes 4

Ecclesiastes 4 (click here)
Again I saw all the oppressions that are done under the sun. And behold, the tears of the oppressed, and they had no one to comfort them! On the side of their oppressors there was power, and there was no one to comfort them. 2 And I thought the dead who are already dead more fortunate than the living who are still alive. 3 But better than both is he who has not yet been and has not seen the evil deeds that are done under the sun. (Ecclesiastes 4:1-3)

Reflection
An honest assessment of the world we live in doesn’t give Solomon any hope of finding meaning. On the contrary, things seem more senseless than ever. The world is filled with evil and oppression…so much so that for many people he thinks it would have been better had they never been born. Even he, with all his riches and wisdom, is not powerful enough to permanently stem the tide of injustice.

Solomon recognizes that even the good done by one generation will be undone by the next. History teaches us that we are prone to repeat our follies. So again he cries out…all is vanity! Is there any hope for a world so full of injustice and senseless pain? Is there one who is both powerful enough and possessing the right resources to rid the world of injustice and fill it with righteousness?

If someone like that exists…they cannot be found “under the sun” where we see so many evil deeds. If someone who can save us exists, they will have to come to us…that would take extreme love. Is there anyone out there who loves us that much?

*The complete SVCC Lenten reading guide is available here.

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