Rick's Thoughts...

Something and Someone to Live For…

2014-08-25T06:46:00.000-07:00

Read Ecclesiastes 9:1-18
“Moreover, no man knows when his hour will come: As fish are caught in a cruel net, or birds are taken in a snare, so men are trapped by evil times that fall unexpectedly upon them.” (v 12)

Some Thoughts…

It’s time for one more reality check from our teacher. Another sinister reality of how little of life we control and what our temporal response must be; hope in the face of hopelessness. Dr. Kidner writes, “In the sea of life we are more truly the fish…taken in a cruel net, or else unaccountably spared, than the masters of our fate and the captains of our soul.” (Kidner p. 84) We are not in control! Three things are mentioned in this chapter that awaken us to the capricious nature of our planet and our flesh and blood existence.

1) The inevitable power of death (v 1-3) – we all; good, bad, religious, irreligious…saint and sinner end up dead…we all breath our last…”the same destiny overtakes us all.”

2) The unreliability of fortune and change (v 11-12) – Things happen, tragedy visits us all at some point, and victories and successes come and go in disproportionate quantities to every striving soul…but we cannot rely on chance or the luck of the draw to bring us peace and fulfillment.

3)The fickleness of the masses to choose power over wisdom (v 13-18) - with the words of a great story-teller, the teacher points to the life-saving wisdom of a no-nonsense man who is quickly forgotten or not noticed at all by the throngs he saved through his wise diplomacy.

So, what are we to do? Is there any hope? With all this injustice and insecurity is life worth living? The answer is yes! If it were not so, human history would have long since stopped. The value of life and virtue and love would have been swallowed in despair…but something (or SomeONE) keeps us looking for that something more. Could that be the divine hint? God has placed eternity within us! (see 3:11) And so we face our enemy and stare death in the face and live like there is someone to save us…Death is a foe we fight with our lives lived to the fullest – defying its powerful grip on our future…we have hope (v 4) we have joy and gladness (v 7), we have love and companionship (v 9). We have something to do today; big or small it is there for us to do with all our hearts…(v10)…This meaningless existence finds meaning only in what we can’t see and understand today so we don’t give up…

A Prayer…

Father, I see the pile of obstacles in my path; the problems I can’t solve… But I forget to look right in front of me…to today’s tasks; to those issues I can effect with your grace…So I take what You give me today to do and I’ll do it with all my might for your glory… I’ll love who you place before me to love… starting with my wife and kids… there is plenty to live for…keep my eyes focused on those things and, most importantly, on You. Amen.

Keeping my faith when it doesn’t make sense…

2014-07-28T07:01:00.000-07:00

Read Ecclesiastes 8:10-17

“Then I saw all that God has done. No one can comprehend what goes on under the sun. Despite all his efforts to search it out, man cannot discover its meaning. Even if a wise man claims he knows, he cannot really comprehend it.” (v17 NIV)

“…Search as hard as you like, you're not going to make sense of it. No matter how smart you are, you won't get to the bottom of it.” (v17 MSG)

Some Thoughts…

So the teacher continues his rather depressing analysis of human existence – looking at how bad men are spoken of with honorable words at their death – for who speaks ill of the dead – there’s got to be something good to say…right? (v10) Which leads us to take a look at injustice and how so many in powerful positions get away with murder and make the thinking person ask; well, what’s the use? I may as well be as crooked as they are to get ahead! (v11)

But, hold on my faith kicks in and reminds me of judgment day – the day when all will be made right…the wicked will get what they deserve! (v12-13) And, the reality from Heaven’s viewpoint is that the long life of a rotten person is empty anyway – like a shadow that has no depth or substance. But all of this just confuses the matter…What’s the hold up? Why does the wicked seem to blossom and grow and the good folks seem to suffer? It all seems like it is turned upside down (see v14-15)… Meaningless!

This seems to be an unreachable goal; finding meaning in this life. On my own with all the best mental energy I can muster, I can’t make sense of any of it…One solution only brings up another question. But I suppose the joy (v15) is in simple faith and constant living in the presence of my Creator. But, we’re not to that chapter yet so I’ll hold on to hope that my dissatisfaction with the status quo and my quest for “something more” is the seed of faith that God is growing in me until eternity finally ends time and real life begins.

“Although as time-dwellers, we see God’s work in tantalizing flashes, the very fact that we can ask about the whole design and long to see it, is evidence that we are not entirely prisoners of our world.” (Kidner p. 79)

A Prayer…

Mighty God, You see it all. I see only flashes of Your light. May I find the faith today to trust You when life can’t make sense to me. Amen.

The Effects of Divine Wisdom

2014-07-14T07:25:00.001-07:00

Read Ecclesiastes 8:1-9

“Who is like the wise man?

Who knows the explanation of things?

Wisdom brightens a man's face and changes its hard appearance.” (v 1)

Some Thoughts…

I find a nugget of peace for my life here in this passage. There is a certain calming effect that God’s wisdom brings. It allows you to face difficult times with purpose and patience, waiting till God’s timing has room to bring about change to oppressive leadership and out of control crisis in life. Who knows what every day brings, and as long as sin has its grip on the souls of humanity there will be “lording” people who hurt others for personal gain…and at the proper time God will raise up the right person – full of wisdom – with a bright future and bright ideas and will change the hard appearances of life…there are more Daniels and Josephs and Ruths and Esters in the world and God will raise them up at the proper time…that’s a peaceful thought.

A Prayer…

Father, let me live today in the peace and brightness of Your wisdom. Help me keep my vow to You that says I’ll honor those around me with your grace. Make me an instrument of Your goodness and grace today…full of wisdom that softens the hard edges of life and brightens every dark corner. Amen.

What a Mess We've made

2014-07-07T12:06:00.000-07:00

Read Ecclesiastes 7:23-29

“This only have I found: God made mankind upright, but men have gone in search of many schemes.” (v 29)

“Yet I did spot one ray of light in this murk, God made men and women true and upright; we’re the ones who’ve made a mess of things.” (The Message)

Some Thoughts…

This section begins with the statement of frustration; of looking and not finding; of doing all one can to understand this life and find meaning in it and coming up short – wisdom is “beyond me” (v 23) says the teacher…I can’t seem to make sense of it…And with that statement, the writer muddies the waters of understanding even more by turning our eyes to the out-of-whack relationships between the genders. Pointing a negative finger at those women so low in self-esteem they do whatever they can to manipulate their men. (v25-26).

Then our teacher makes himself sound very chauvinistic to any thinking, searching, and giving female; he points out that in all his frustrating attempts of relationships he can’t find one good woman. (see v27-28)…What?!? PIG! Who does he think he is?!?…OK, OK calm down…again the teacher is making a point. This is a literary device. He is saying it’s all messed up – men and women both…no one is upright.

It could be that the One he mentions the only sinless one – The Promised Messiah. But his point is clear – I think – life is messy and confusing and any attempt of making sense of any of it, even that which can make us feel the most complete (a love relationship between man and woman), even that is beyond repair if we are left to our own devices – we invent new ways to mess things up. This is the whole point of this one discovery – God made us right…and we come up with more inventive way to make it all wrong. We can only find hope in looking before the fall, not after it and then looking to the 2^nd Adam – Jesus who will fix the mess we have made.

A Prayer…

Jesus, I turn to You, the Only upright One, what a mess we have made…make us right again…Turn my attention to You and Your redemption plan and not to the next scheme of another fallen soul. Amen.

Living Wisely Between the Extremes

2014-05-12T07:38:00.000-07:00

Ecclesiastes 7:7-22

“It’s best to stay in touch with both sides of an issue. A person who fears God deals responsibly with all of reality, not just a piece of it.” (v 18 – The Message)

“…The man who fears God will avoid all extremes.” (v 18b NIV)

Some Thoughts…

I’ve struggled with this section of scripture for a week…not sure if God is speaking to me or just hearing the words on the page echoing my own thoughts…but this is my take on this passage – Wisdom will never turn to one extreme or the other as culture swings its pendulum-type reaction to morality as pollsters on any issue that raise a loud voice…wisdom slowly looks at all sides and then looks up to God, not to the whispers or shouts of the culture… That is my take. Here is my paraphrase of this verse. (God have mercy on me for my attempt at explanation)

V 7 – Brutality and power can corrupt anybody – even the best of us…this can be infuriating to a thoughtful observer.

V 9 – But before you fire up the torches for the lynch mob, get the whole story – choose patience over arrogant pride and refuse man’s kind of anger that can never bring God’s righteousness to life in anyone. (See James 1:20)

V10 – and don’t start sighing for the “good ole’ days”. Those days are gone…and with all honesty they weren’t all that good…at least not better…just different issues, different wars, different evils…a different pace of life…. it is not wise to spend your time looking backward.

V 11-12 – Wisdom – That’s what we need…the ability to slow down and wait on God…It’s like an insurance policy to protect us when life spins out of control…Ask for wisdom, God’s viewpoint and set your opinions aside; it’s just a healthier way to live.

V 13-14 – Let’s be honest…life is not black and white, it’s messy…there are so many twists and turns on this journey of life! Who can keep it all straight – God made it that way – good days, bad days, average days…they are all from Him…wisdom says, “I’ll trust Him through it all – even when life doesn’t make any sense. After all who knows what tomorrow will bring, but God…

V 15 – Here’s an example – a wise and righteous man dies too soon and a rich wicked fool parties on…meaningless!

V 16-18 – Don’t get all bent out of shape over this…don’t run to this cause or that one in a attempt to solve the world’s problems… Just live life fearing God – Love Him, respect His word, honor your Heavenly Father the best you know how. He knows your weakness…But don’t give up on living for God even though you can’t get it all right – don’t run away from Him…Even though it may not seem like it, He’s got it all under control. Avoid polarizing extreme…

V 19 – Hold on to the wisdom He has given you…it is making your stronger, trust me…

V 20-22 – Oh and don’t take too much stock in your critics…They are still trying to make sense of life too…Just like you, sometimes they get it right and other times they are wrong…listen to God and love those He put in your life… Be wise.

A Prayer…

Father, help me to avoid extremes and live faithfully in Your presence; loving others with wise patience as I hope they will do the same for me. Amen.

Learning to lean into the pain…

2014-05-05T07:16:00.002-07:00

Read Ecclesiastes 7:1-6

“Sorrow is better than laughter, because a sad face is good for the heart.” (v 3)

Some Thoughts…

The pursuit of happiness is an elusive venture…

One assumes it would be found in the house that is full of loud laughs and endless celebrations, but the teacher wants us to consider what and whom it is we are pursuing. True happiness is not something that blazes up like a bonfire and then quickly embers away… That is emptiness (see v 5). True happiness is not going to be sustained living moment by moment in search of the next big thing or happening or self-help book… Running hard and fast in pursuit of that kind of happy life will end in disappointment or disillusionment.

No, real happiness, ironically, is not even found in moments like the birth of a child, even though those are joyous occasions… Our teacher wants us to see that what really does the heart good is found in honestly settling into grief and recognizing the brevity of life (see v1-2). These are moments we don’t need to run from, we need to learn to open ourselves up to these less than pleasant moments.

Jesus told us that the mourner would be comforted and made happy (the true meaning of the word “blessed” – See Matthew 5:3-12). When we stop running from our own mortality and embrace life’s brevity, then every moment matters so much more; joy comes in the morning as our eyes open and our feet walk into another day…another opportunity to live out life with nothing more than a good name (v1)… And the name I choose is Jesus.

References for further study:
Matthew 5:3-12; 2 Corinthians 4:17; Psalm 90:12; Proverbs 4:23; Job 33:19-30

A Prayer…

Father, never again let me see my tears as negative…keep my focus on the eternal to see the things I can’t make sense of now as tools you are using (all the negatives and positives in my life) to make me complete and whole. Thank You. Amen.

Sitting in Silence...

2014-04-28T07:04:00.001-07:00

Read Ecclesiastes 6:7-12

“The more the words, the less the meaning and how does that profit anyone? (v 11 – NIV).

”The more words that are spoken, the more smoke there is in the air” (v 11 – The Message)

Some Thoughts…

If ever there were a time when words were in abundance and substantial meaning was at an echoing emptiness, it would be today. From 24 hour news, sports; “how to” and “buy this” networks on TV to the information overload of unfounded half-truths that flood the internet …with iPhones and XM radios chirping non-stop…there are a lot of words, a lot of questions and a lot of answers, too many products claiming the secrets to fulfillment and happiness to satisfy our longings in life. But it is all smoke…empty…meaningless.

And the pride in us says we can find meaning – we can “make a difference” – yet the truth is “we work to feed our appetites; meanwhile our souls go hungry (v 7 MSG)…It is our “mouth, not our minds, that seems to be our master” (Kidner p 61). As much as we want to fix what is broken in us, we cannot…it would seem fate wins. We are too weak to over-power the brokenness of our predicament (see v10).

And the question remains: who can tell us what is good and what will happen? (v12) I can only think the answer is found in the silence of the cross and the tears of our Maker. I think it would do us all great good to sit longer every day in the echoing silence of that moment when all went dark and Jesus said, “It is finished.”

A Prayer…

Father, You are good…You hold the future…so with blind faith I sit in silence…no more words…just faith. Amen.

A God-Shaped Void

2014-04-21T07:12:00.004-07:00

Read Ecclesiastes 6:1-6

“…but God does not enable him to enjoy them. This is meaningless a grievous evil (V 2b)

Some Thoughts…

Okay, I don’t understand this…I see it every day, but I don’t understand it. Our nation is filled with “full people” who seem empty…It appears that so many have all the “wealth, possessions, and honor” they could ever need or want, yet their lives are filled with therapist, anti-depression meds, and suicide watches. What a mess our American dream has made; we have everything we desire at our fingertips in some form or fashion, yet so many of us are miserable. We don’t enjoy life. I see this “grievous evil”, but I just don’t understand it. Especially when I consider God and that every good gift comes from Him…and if I understand this passage right, even my ability to enjoy His gifts is a gift from God. So, why would He give good things to some people and not empower them to enjoy them?

Dr. Derek Kindner explains it this way: The teacher “is very far from holding that man has rights which God ignores; it is rather than man has needs which God exposes.” (page 60). In other words; the lack of enjoyment we have in temporary things shines a bright light on the God-shaped void in our souls that God is ready and willing to fill.

Okay, that helps me a little…God is doing all He can to communicate with His creation, and He wants us to see that life lived in pursuit of temporary happiness filled with stuff is a dead end…There is no enjoyment in them, because the goals are all wrong…God won’t empower someone to enjoy His good gifts when that person rejects the only true gift that is good – a relationship with Him…without that life-giving relationship and eternal perspective it’s all meaningless, even all the good there is to possess in the world. Our life would be better off not lived (v3) than lived in the middle of counterfeit joys and play-like peace.

A Prayer…

God, rescue me from my selfishness that would pursue comfort or the respect of others over knowing You and finding real enjoyment in the intangibles of the Spiritual life You created me for like love, joy, peace, patience, kindness goodness and self-control. Help me live today in the satisfaction of Your abiding presence regardless of the dissatisfaction I may feel in the world around me. Amen.

The Beauty of Satisfaction…

2014-04-14T07:55:00.001-07:00

Read Ecclesiastes 5:18-20
“…this is a gift of God.” (v 19b)

Some Thoughts…

Hope is a great thing (the opposite of the evils caused by materialism that was just discussed – v13-17). Our teacher tells us that there is something beautiful in being satisfied (the word “proper” in verse 18 is better translated “fitting” or beautiful…I choose beauty…). Satisfaction is that inner peace that a person has when he looks at the road set before his feet, no matter how long or short, no matter how treacherous or smooth, no matter how dark or bright…it just doesn’t matter. He is alright with whatever may come and what is right in front of him because he sees what eyes can’t see at the end of the journey.

Finding contentment and satisfaction with the life God gives us is a great gift from God. It allows us to see our days on earth as God’s gift and we can look at the road we need to travel in life and smile and run into it with joy because we see God has made us for this particular path in life! As the writer of Hebrews would say it; there is the “race set before me” and it is the race I must run, so why not run it with gladness instead of worry and fret and negativity. (See Heb. 12:1-2)

Life is too short to sit in a pile of my complaints and questions…There are beautiful places to go and people to see…This is the day the Lord has made (Ps. 118:24)…It really is the day HE has made… And whether it is good or bad; it is His gift to me…and an even greater gift is the fact that it is God who enables me to enjoy it (v 19). And why can I enjoy it? The end of verse 20 tells me; I’m too preoccupied with the “gladness of heart” that God has given me. And so, the more I find myself simply remaining open to God enjoying every moment with Him, the less time and mental strain I use trying to make sense of the nonsense around me…Somehow, that is His job, mine is to trust, love and live in His gift…in Him.

A Prayer…

Father, thank you…All good gifts come from You and the gift of life is the greatest of all…I know that is true, but I just can’t seem to remember this basic truth. Help me find contentment in the journey you have laid out for me to travel today. Amen.

U-Hauls and Hearses…

2014-04-07T06:24:00.001-07:00

Read Ecclesiastes 5:13-17

“All his days he eats in darkness, with great frustration, affliction, and anger.” (v 17)

Some Thoughts…

Here is a story of “depressing misfortune”, a “distressing and deep-seated trouble”…”a deadly evil”…”a grieving evil”; seeking to find security in stuff; hording all you can in an attempt find comfort, happiness, or the iconic American dream. This is the story of one man who had it all and lost it all, yet even when he had it, it really had him (“wealth hoarded to the harm of its owners” v 13), and when it was gone it killed him leaving nothing, no legacy…nothing to pass on to future generations…gone like smoke, one bad business venture and all he held on to for security and meaning was gone.

But, that’s not the tragedy of this story. The money and wealth lost is not the issue. It is the whole of this man’s life. He came with nothing and left with nothing (v 16). He passed through life and never discovered the treasure of Heaven. He was so earthbound in his thinking that he refused the greater riches of love, forgiveness, mercy, joy, and peace…His life was lived in darkness, his heart full of poison as he attempted to save himself with the toil of his own hands which only filled him with frustration, affliction, and anger…

What a “grievous evil”! But why is temporary happiness so bad? The answer can be found in the verdict God has passed on the entire human race that is found in John 3:19. We love darkness instead of God’s light. We cling to a dying existence while all along there is a eternity of life to live in the pursuit of God in Jesus. This story causes me to ask a very pointed question. How am I spending my days? Am I eating in darkness, hoarding all I can in an attempt to save my skin? Or am I willing to loosen my grip on my stuff and trust God for today and tomorrow and live in His light. The cliche is so true: there are no U-Hauls behind hearses…

A Prayer…

Father, those character traits describe me too well – frustrated and angry…let me live in the light of Your Spirit’s presence for good; full of love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness faithfulness and self-control…for Your glory and my salvation and for the future of those I leave behind… Help me invest in eternal things not things that are passing away. Grant me a legacy of light not darkness. Amen.

the deceitfulness of riches

2014-03-31T15:38:00.003-07:00

Read Ecclesiastes 5:8-12

“Whosoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income. This too is meaningless…” (v 10)

Some Thoughts…

“Do not be surprised at such things…” (v 8). The teacher in cold realism reminds us of the injustice in the world where the rich get richer and injustice is the norm. Don’t be surprised, this is life…don’t be caught off guard by the deceitfulness of riches (see Matt 13:22). This world system is broken and as long as people of privilege attempt to fix it with a bigger budget or the pursuit of a dream that is full of luxury and self-indulgence nothing will change much…

But there is a place for standing against injustice. God calls his people to act…(Micah 6:8), but no one needs to think of his life in dreamy utopian thoughts brought on by the revolution of the righteous…This world is broken…don’t be surprised…but don’t be deceived either and jump on the “happiness is stuff” band-wagon for wealth is deceitful and in three scenarios the teacher points that out:

1) It never satisfies (v11) – more, more, more…is never enough (see 1 Timothy 6:9ff)

2) It’s all about appearance and everybody wants a piece of the pie (v 12). The “hangers-on” will stay as long as the party is going…and the end result is loneliness and looking at the crowd of consumers wanting more of your stuff and none of the real you…(see Isaiah 22-23ff)

3) It will keep you up at night (v13). It never ceases to amaze me (wait I’m not supposed to be surprised – oops!), that in all our affluence as Americans we are the most drugged and depressed nation in history. Money will never bring the inner peace we all are really craving …no satisfaction…only a noisy crowd and sleepless nights searching for a way to make more and hold on to our kingdom made with our own hands…

Not for me…

“For it is one of our human absurdities to pour out money and effort just to undo the damage of money and ease.”
(p 56 Kidner)

A Prayer…

Father, surprise me today with Your justice in the life of someone that falls through the cracks in our broken world system…satisfy my heart with Your riches of mercy and love and grace…. Amen.

Worship is never casual...

2014-03-24T07:10:00.001-07:00

Read Ecclesiastes 5:1-7

“Don’t be quick with your mouth; do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth so let your words be few.” (V2)

Some Thoughts…

Worship is never casual…and when I get too comfortable and at ease before the alter of God; I risk foolish behavior that God is not pleased with (v4). How do I enter into worship – whether it be personal or corporate?

Do I “watch my steps”? (V1) Have I forgotten the great cost that was paid for me to enter into the presence of God…do I take this grace lightly or does its weight force out my gratitude (See Leviticus 15:31; Hebrews 10:19)

Do I “go near to listen? (V1) The force of the word “listen” being doubled in Hebrew to mean listen and obey…So, do I take God’s activity in the life of my selfishness lightly or does the gravity of His love draw me into a life that is changed in the way I think, react and interact with others? Do I come to God with a list of my expectations or am I open-handed, ready to receive the spiritual food my starving, sin-sick soul needs? (See I Samuel 15:22)

Am I enamored by the romance of my eloquent words and elaborate dreams or am I awed by Almighty God? (V2-3) Am I foolishly choosing the unreality of my fantasies or am I embracing the reality of the God who is bigger than my best dreams and more eloquent than my finest phrases?

Am I quick to commit to God in the ease of my casual worship and slow to keep this commitment in the fire of an opposing world? (V4-7). Are my words many and foolish or few and humbly; chosen from a heart that’s been redeemed? Am I attempting to impress God and others or am I being changed into a Christ-like God follower? Am I a whitewashed tomb or a clean vessel? (See Matthew 23:27)

May my words be few Mighty God!”

A Prayer…

Father, hallowed be Thy Name…

Foolish Worship

2014-03-17T07:11:00.002-07:00

Read Ecclesiastes 5:1-7
“Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Go near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know they do wrong.” (V1)

Some Thoughts…

How foolish to draw near to godly things and not draw near to God…to be engrossed with religious commitments and time-consuming practices and to miss the relationship of a whispering Father wanting for His child to listen to His words of life. (Matt7:21 ff)

How foolish to be so blinded by the good I do; all the pats on the back; all the positive strokes from people who see my polished outside shell and not see the filthiness of selfishness that keeps me up at night…to be so married to my traditions that I am divorced from my bridegroom… (Matt 23:1).

How foolish it is to claim intimacy with the Savior and cling to personal sin-habits that I love in the closet of my private lives…to consider so lightly the heavy weight of my sin that Jesus bore on the cross…foolish… (I Corinthians 11:27 ff)

I need to look long and hard at my steps as I walk into worship…as I seek God and expect His hand of provision to take care of all those I care for…Am I a fool? Do I despise His discipline? Can I make light of my sin? Do I have the audacity to think I do no wrong while I point the finger of shame in a brother’s face? Is my worship all talk and not hearing… Am I offering the sacrifice of a fool? (Luke18:9-14).

“No amount of emphasis on grace can justify taking liberties with God, for the very concept of grace demands gratitude; and gratitude cannot be casual (Kidner, P53)

A Prayer…

Father, forgive me…have mercy on me a sinner.

the latest and greatest…

2014-03-10T06:58:00.003-07:00

Read Ecclesiastes 4:13-16

“I saw that all who lived and walked under the sun followed the youth,
the king’s successor.” (V15)

Some Thoughts…

The fleeting glow of popular acclaim and public approval is intoxicating! We hunger so much for the latest and greatest thing that we quickly put out to pasture the old and used up and replace it the new and innovative. And, let’s be honest new is nice…and better than old and tired; who doesn’t like a new suit or car or house with all the latest bells and whistles and appliances.

But soon the new grows old and used. So it is with worldly leadership. Kings and presidents come and go. Their ideas once hailed as our salvation for our ailing society or debated as the thing that will be the ruin of us all; all these new changes and advancements become passé, old news, and insufficient. And life goes on…new generations are born that can’t see the point in their parent’s pursuits of happiness and begin to reinvent the wheel. What a cycle of life! How quickly we forget…meaningless…even that which is better, soon becomes topped with a new better…and the crowd of countless new faces files by with disinterest in search for something better. (v16)

…another handful of wind…there has got to be more…much more than this. There will always be something “better than this,” but what I want to long for what is BEST not just new and better…. And that can’t be found “under the sun.” I think we need to look a little higher.

A Prayer…

Father, Oh King of Heaven and earth, our eternal ruler and infinite policy-maker, help me today to hold on to what is best not just “better”…give me wisdom and willpower to hold loosely to the latest and greatest item of intrigue to make my life better, and help me hold tightly to you. Amen.

I get by with a little help from my friends

2014-03-03T07:04:00.002-08:00

Read Ecclesiastes 4:9-12
“If one falls down, his friend can help him up.
But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!” (V10)

Some Thoughts…

Companionship is essential to life in God’s grand scheme of things. He never intended us to go it alone. Even before Eve was created, God looked at Adam and said, “It is not good for man to be alone” (Genesis 2:18). We were created for community, for intimacy; to be joined with other folks. I cannot escape this truth. Being an introvert, I enjoy being alone. It’s peaceful. But, when life gets hard I need companionship. I need a sounding board, a shoulder to cry on, a hand to hold, a friend to laugh with. And God places all kinds of folks in my path. Just to remind me of this simple truth…I need other people in my life.

I can over spiritualize things and say that I’m never alone because God is here with me, although that is very true. And in seasons of life He chooses to strip away all security-relationships and human companionship to help me trust Him completely. But those are only seasons…He has reserved thousands for his faithful followers to unite with. (See - I Kings 19:18)

And, although it would be right for me to interpret verse 12 to mean that God is the third strand in my relationships, there is also another more “earthly” meaning here. I need to be careful not to miss the teacher’s simple truth; “The more the merrier…” Although two can defend themselves in battle, three or seven or twelve can be even stronger. There is power in numbers. And as Christ-followers traveling in a land that is hostile to the Gospel, we need to band together holding onto each other. So that when we fall, we will not be alone in pitiful defeat. And we will have a helping hand for a quick recovery, so that we can stay in the battle for souls until Jesus returns to take us home.

A Prayer…

Father, I see those you’ve placed in my life as companions for the journey. I hear their voices and I can see their faces…bless them today. Intertwine our lives with an unbreakable chord of love so that You can use each of us as a life-line to the other to pull those folk who have found themselves alone in a pit of sin and despair to freedom, healing, and community. Amen.

There’s got to be more

2014-02-24T07:15:00.002-08:00

Read Ecclesiastes 4:4-8

“Better one handful with humility than two handfuls with toil and chasing after the wind.” (v 6)

Some Thoughts…

When our work becomes our God, we lose site of God’s greater plan. To find a tranquil moment is not even on the radar of our to-do list. Life is filled with over-active schedules, empty relationships that only exist to increase profit margins and clientele. Thoughts are filled with the next “get rich scheme” and our medicine cabinets filled with sleeping pills and anti-depressants. Empty success…that is the next target of the teacher’s discerning eye; the deceitfulness of riches (see Matthew 13:22)…

First he compares the two extremes in the picture of worldly success; 1) the ambitious-brass-ring-grabber (v4); the one who works hard to “keep up with the Jones’, to pass up the Jones’, and to outshine the Jones’, and in the end he finds the higher he climbs the ladder of success, there is always someone or something else to compete with…emptiness, worthless, no satisfaction. 2) Then there is the fool who works the system just enough to get by; sleeps in as much as possible, calls in sick to go indulge himself…lazy…not content, just looking for the easy way – this is the “oh if I could just when the lottery, all by problems would be solved” kind of person… The Message translation says “his sloth is slow suicide” (v5)…neither extreme has any meaning…both are empty…like holding smoke in your hand.

And then the teacher throws the seeker a bone…here is another hint…let go of your double-fisted, white-knuckled grip on materialism and consumerism and be content with what you have. Free up a hand to hold on to God…Take God’s gift of contentment and live in the moment (see 3:13). If that moment is at work, be diligent at work until the work day ends. If it is face to face with friends and loved ones, then be fully present extending you free and empty hand of compassion and love to them with not requirement of reciprocation. There is something to be said for simplicity and satisfaction with what we have.

But, we don’t stay long in the land of peace with the preacher. He throws us right back into the jungle of capitalism and the self-centered pursuit of more and more and more (v7-8). I get the feeling he really wants his readers to feel the tension he felt; that the harder we press toward things, the more we find ourselves alone, with no one to share life with…meaningless…miserable…there’s got to be more; something and someone above the sun… He is calling us to keep seeking…

A Prayer…

Father, You are the “more” I’m looking for. You’ve given me all I need…Give me contentment with that. And keep me face to face with folks not nose down to the grindstone attempting to meet one more deadline…One hand free reaching out for you as I extend it toward my fellow man…Make me “tranquil” today, quiet - down deep, as the noise of the world attempts to work me into a meaningless mess. Amen.

Are we just animals?

2014-02-18T07:05:00.002-08:00

Read Ecclesiastes 3:16-4:3

(Also read Psalm49 (v 12, 14, 15, 20) & Psalm 104:27 ff)

“As for men, God tests them so that they may see that they are like animals.” (v 18)

Some Thoughts…

Now the teacher takes us to a place we don’t want to go…to the underbelly of humanity – The Hitler’s, and Osama’s and child-abusers…to those with limitless power and no justice. God reveals that we ALL fail the test of humanity. The word “test” in v 18 means “to expose” or “bring to light.” And, we don’t have to look far to see how inhumane we humans can be. We are, in so many ways, more beastly than the wild beast that fights for survival. Here we are reminded of this awful reality. We want to pretend that the child next door is not abused or that there is no corruption in the high offices of our land, but we can’t escape the truth; left alone to our own devices and we devour one another. And as our teacher comments in 4:2-3 - how better off it is to be dead, or even more emphatic; never born to see such sadness. I’m sure God’s heart breaks for He can’t turn away from what we ignore.

So, God exposes us! We are like the beasts – in that we share its fate – we’ll die…and after death a mystery (v20-21). We can act so beastly to one another turning pride into wickedness for our selfish gain. We must be awaken to this reality; we are mortal, not immortal!

As Eugene Peterson translated Psalm 49:12 – “We aren’t immortal. We don’t last long. Like our dogs, we age and weaken, and die.” Hopeless? A little over the top? Come on teacher. What’s with all the gloom and doom? - “If Qoheleth’s gloom strikes us as excessive at this point, we may need to ask whether our more cheerful outlook springs from hope and not complacency.” (Kidner, p 44)

Oh, but the teacher doesn’t completely leave us on a downer – no, he reminds us of our responsibility for our choices. Judgment will come – as there is a time for everything…now is the time for truth and selflessness as we seek to bring hope to the hopeless (see v 17 & 4:1. And he reminds us of joy in the daily grind to enjoy our lot, to work as if we are working for the Lord. (2:12-14, 20)

A Prayer…

God, make me an instrument of Your peace…seeking to comfort more than be comforted…looking to make right what wrongs are in my control and trusting You for all that is completely out of my control. Help me to not grow complacent in the dark, but to light a candle and start a flame for holiness, righteousness, and grace in Your name.

Everything is Beautiful… somehow

2014-02-10T09:10:00.001-08:00

Read Ecclesiastes 3:1-15
“He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men, yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end.” (v11)

Some Thoughts…

Everything has its place in time. (Even the final Day of Judgment - see Revelation 14:14-15) God has designated it to be so. Even things and situations that appear horrific and mortifying like war, killing, and death…God makes beautiful somehow in the bigger picture of His story. Yet, what He has made beautiful is for me a burden if I will attempt to find its beauty on my own with my limited perspective. I am human; trapped in my time zone. And although God has created me in His image with eternal things buried deep inside me, I know that there has got to be something more than an endless cycle of history repeating itself and family after family falling apart…seasons coming and going, corporations and kingdoms rising and falling…The cycle of insanity that we call life can drive me crazy.

But, I’m just too close to God’s artwork. His big picture is really, really big. It is so big that although in my heart I know God has made a beautiful work of art out of this planet’s history, I can’t see it. I’m too close; all I see are meaningless lines and shapes that seem to repeat themselves over and over and over. But if I could move back…way back …a God-sized step back, then I could see. From eternity’s side of time, it all makes perfect sense…more than logical, it is beautiful. I see this crazy endless cycle of history seeming only to repeat itself…God sees it all from the beginning of light’s explosion into creation to the end of every nation, tribe and tongue standing before His throne.

God has done it all (v14), and I will pursue and worship Him…I’ll lay down my questions, at least for a moment, and worship Him.

A Prayer…

Father of all time and beauty, You stand outside of my limitations…and yet You step inside them to reveal Yourself to me. You are the eternal Artist, Storyteller, Master Craftsman…it all looks good to You – beautiful. Give me eternal eyes so I can catch a glimpse off Your beauty today. Amen.

Looking To What God Gives…

2014-02-03T07:16:00.003-08:00

Read Ecclesiastes 2:12-26

“To the man who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness…” (v 26)

Some Thoughts…

I find that I’m right there with the teacher in his hatred of life when I’m attempting to build my own kingdom; when I get so short-sighted as to think that my life is for me to build some kind of castle of meaning encircled by a moat of happiness and inner peace… And to think that all this striving for human approval and building a “name for myself” will be is so quickly forgotten is enough to bring me to a stand-still.

My life – my effort to do right, to make the world a better place…is quickly forgotten, if noticed at all; just like the unnamed drug addict who’s wasted his life, stole from and mistreated others for his personal gain and next high - just as quickly as his life is forgotten, so will mine. We all go to the same grave… So, what’s the use?

If I let myself, I can really begin to hate life because it will not give me what I want… I suppose that is the point of this passage; maybe I’m looking to material things or to the acceptance of others to provide something they were never intended to provide. Possessions and public acclaim cannot bring happiness. Nor can they bring an understanding would allow me to cope with life’s inconsistencies…Only God can provide them.

So I must learn this wise teaching; I just need to be satisfied with a job well done and a life lived above reproach (or at least in an attempt at holiness) and then leave the rest to God. I need to stop hating life for things it was never intended to do for me, and start trusting in something and SOMEONE bigger.

“He disillusions us to bring us to reality." (v 36) - Derek Kidner.

“For in themselves, and rightly used, the basic things of life are sweet and good…what spoils them is our hunger to get out of them more than they can give…” (P 35 – Kidner)

A Prayer…

Father, I will live life and love You…I look to You for what this life can never give me. A wisdom that supersedes philosophy and theology, and understanding that looks beyond the temporal to find a happiness that laughs in the glow of Your eternal smile of grace. Amen.

Am I Applying Myself?

2014-01-27T08:38:00.002-08:00

Read Ecclesiastes 1:16-2:11
“Then I applied myself to the understanding of wisdom, and also of madness and folly…” (1:17)

Some Thoughts…

Our teacher wanted to know “what was worthwhile for people to do…” (2:3). He took all the brain power he could muster, which was a great about of intelligence, seeing that this was a very wise man…wiser that I am, for sure…and he entered into life looking to answer life’s ultimate questions of meaning and purpose.

Laughter at the parties became noise – like an evil, taunting villainous hiss (2:2). Liquor didn’t remove the edge (2:3),for the truth of life still weighted him down into sorrow and grief (1:18)…This guy was so smart, so gifted, so dynamic, he built for himself a virtual “Garden of Eden” one full of forbidden fruits that he would not deny himself to indulge…

He sucked the marrow out of every experience. He held nothing back. This was no cold calculating anthropologist studying culture; this was a man fully immersed in the pleasures of life from the party scene to the joys of a job well done. From the power of managing a great and “green” environment-friendly corporation (2:4-7) to the indulgences of a playboy that would rival and put to shame Hugh Hefner himself (2:8-10), he had it all and did it all…but he found nothing… just smoke… It was like spitting into the wind…catching the breeze with a butterfly net…meaningless…vanity.

So, where does that leave me? I am living in the land of pleasure, feeling much the same way… And I know my wisdom is faulty…it leaves me full of grief too. I need to look beyond what is “under the sun” to a wisdom that comes from heaven that is “first of all pure”… (James 3:17) a wisdom that begins with the “fear of the Lord…” (Proverbs 1:7). To make sense of this life I will need to trust in something other than my own understanding (Proverbs 3:5-6). And that is what I pray I can do.

A Prayer…

God, I see it…I feel the emptiness…fill up all my vanity with your complete life…Your truth, Your way, and Your life that are higher than mine…I want to find pleasure and meaning there; in You, Lord Jesus… in You and You alone - Amen

Crooked Deep Down

2014-01-21T08:33:00.002-08:00

Read Ecclesiastes 1:12-15

“What is twisted cannot be straightened; what is lacking cannot be counted.” (v 15)

Some Thoughts…

We are a twisted people in a crooked land, trying to make sense of the senseless terrain from our own vantage point. All the wisdom in the world is still “in the world” and under the heavens, making the task next to impossible. This is a heavy burden to carry…I’m not sure why God has allowed it in our backs…maybe just to see if we would be willing to lay down our burdens of attempting to go this twisted path in our own power, maybe to learn that if we lay our burdens down and take up our cross, and His yoke, we would find it much lighter and the path much less treacherous to travel.

So, as we sit here staring at our load, let us consider this proverb for a while…

“What is twisted…” - The whole of creation is subjected to frustration (Romans 8:20)…We are bent over by our sin…and so much that we see uncovered by science and other conventions of discovery only reveal the deeper complexities and unanswerable questions we have… And the more we attempt to remedy to problems in society, the more we find the entrenched values and traditions that separate and divide us… This existence is twisted and crooked for sure…Oh, how we need someone to straighten it all out… It is great to know that “what is impossible with man is possible with God”! (Luke 18:27)

“What is lacking…” – What is a big zero can’t be counted for much, what is of no value = nothing…and everything under the sun – all the twisted mess we see is vain; meaningless, uncountable, a big zero…our righteous deeds are like filthy rags, and our efforts to better ourselves seem fruitless as we seen to take two steps forward and one step back. This way of thinking is rare. We see our achievements and good deeds and add up the score of our righteousness and feel pretty good about ourselves. We fail to remember the words of our Ecclesiastical teacher/preacher that we read here or the words of the prophet to tells us our best is a steaming pile of stinky rags (Isaiah64:6). We forget the words of Jesus that told us plainly our flesh counts for nothing! (John 6:63)… We need to stop and ponder this truth – “What is lacking cannot be counted.”

This BAD NEWS must drive us to the GOOD NEWS -- The only good in us is Jesus…He is what counts – Faith expressing itself through love – that counts (Galatians 5:6), a new creation counts (Galatians 6:15). God’s commands obeyed counts (I Corinthians 7:19); my flesh, my striving on my own, my burden counts for nothing (John 6:63). This leaves us with a choice; cling to what can’t be fixed or turn to the only ONE who can fill up our vain emptiness with meaning and life.

Yes, I’m twisted, living in a crooked world…heavy with my burden to discover meaning in it all…so I choose to turn to my Creator to find the answer that lies beyond what I can see.

A Prayer…

Father, make straight your path before me, so I can prepare the way of the only one who counts…Jesus, be my all in all today, tomorrow and forever…my twisted view point needs your corrective lenses…help me see straight today to navigate the terrain ahead of me with You as my guide, friend, and life. Amen.

Same Ol’ Same Ol’

2014-01-13T07:22:00.000-08:00

Read Ecclesiastes 1:3-11

“What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; There is nothing new under the sun.” (V 9)

Some Thoughts…

The cycles of the earth, the seasons of the year, the interaction of humanity in society after society; what’s the point? Is this all there is? Is it true that, “the more things change, the more they turn out to be the same”? What is the point to working hard all year, doing good as much as we can only to take a look around at the dawn of a new year and say, “nothing has changed, everything is pretty much the same.” The teacher takes us straight to the heart of the matter…the issue that plagues every person in his or her “mid-life-crisis”: “Have I worked all these years and come full circle? Has all my life been for nothing?”

We are all looking for some kind meaning to it all; whether it is personal happiness and comfort or feeling like our lives have made a difference and the world is a better place because of our efforts. But, to step back and look…if all we have is what we can see, then it can leave us empty and weary. There must be something more…something or someone beyond my experience and our limited understanding of the human experience throughout history… I think that is the teacher’s point – there is something beyond the sun. Something that is new and life-giving…The question is, will I choose to “gain the whole world and lose my soul” or will I choose to live for something (and Someone) beyond what my eyes see and my ear hears? (v8; Mark 8:36; 2 Cor. 5:7). For we have the promise of our Lord that He is making all things NEW! (see Rev. 21:5)

A Prayer…

Father, I’m so quick to throw my hands up in defeat and shout, “what’s the use” what a waste of time. Nothing matters! Help me today to live beyond my flesh and bones. Help me to never lose sight of Your Kingdom that is not of this earth... that is not “under the sun.” Help me to live by faith and not by sight…lift me from my cyclical cynicism and inject me with the hope of my salvation and let me live today eager to point one more soul past the sun to ‘”The Son.”

Words From the Wise

2014-01-10T07:02:00.001-08:00

Read Ecclesiastes 1:1-3
“What does man gain from all his labor at which he toils under the sun?” (v3)

Some Thoughts…

Right from the start our author introduces himself as “The Preacher” (the Hebrew is Qoheleth and it is the main emphasis in his introduction), the Son of David, the King. Many have assumed that we are reading the words of the wise King Solomon. But there is no mention of his name in the book, so we can’t say for sure. What we can say for sure is that we are reading the words of the wisest of the wise (see verse 16). Eugene Peterson calls him “The Quester” in “The Message" translation… a wise man who has looked at life and all that there is and has come to the conclusion that it is all “vanity” - smoke (as Peterson writes), pointless, a big zero…

So what is his point? What is “it” that is such a big nothing? Is it all of life and the cosmos? Does “it” include God or man’s dreamed up idea of The Divine? What is “it” that this wise, discerning, and experienced teacher/preacher is evaluating as pointless? We are given a clue in the phrase “under the sun”; a key phrase in the book. This phrase is used nearly 30 times… And its imagery helps us understand what it is we are evaluating; what it is we are seeing a “vanity”. We are talking about those things we can observe; our lives, relationships, jobs, money, leisure activities, and everything else we call “life on earth”. As we begin to read, we discover we have entered into the classroom of “the meaning of live 101”.

That is the point of reading the book of Ecclesiastes, and that will be our quest…to discover what matters and what does not…So as I’m on my journey, I’ve stopped by to visit with “Qoheleth” The Preacher/Teacher…and so I’ll sit for a while and listen.

A Prayer…

Father, allow me to walk with the wise so that I may be wise, give me Divine discernment to know truth from lies and what matters from what is empty and vain. Amen.

The Church as Family…

2013-12-16T07:46:00.002-08:00

Read 1 Peter 5:12-14
“…Peace to all of you who are in Christ.” (v 14b)

Some Thoughts…

Every time I read a final greeting in an epistle, I am struck by the personal nature of it. It is as if we moved from some public speech where everyone was on the same page to an “inside” conversation between family and friends, and that is what I see here in the closing words of 1 Peter.

I see the real life relationship of the early Church expressed in the cooperation of Peter and Silas who was known to be closely related to Paul’s ministry, yet here it is revealed in a dear friend and helper to Peter also. Silas probably helped Peter write his letter and delivered it. Silas was a cultured Roman citizen who was a world traveler and Peter was a common fisherman transformed by Jesus. Both men were made new by Christ. And then there is John Mark, Peter’s “son” in the ministry, who is said to have collaborated with Peter in the writings of the Gospel of Mark. Mark also had ties to Paul. He started with Paul on is his first missionary journey but abandoned him before it was over, and yet Mark is still someone who was useful to Paul in the end.

So here we have these men sharing in the struggles to make the TRUE GOSPEL of GRACE known (v 12b); real people in a real world facing real opposition. But there is more; there is this description of a lady in Babylon. Now Babylon had become ruins by the time Peter writes this, so what did he mean? It almost seems like code; a word picture of the Church living in a strange land in captivity. Maybe Peter was referring to Rome and the persecution of Christians, or maybe he was making a reference to our “resident alien” status as believers (2:11). Whatever the specifics may mean, it seems clear that it was understood that all who were “in Christ” understood. And Peter reminds them to stand fast in the truth of all he has been telling them and not give way to false ideas of God.

And then he ends his letter with two tender images. One is an image of family-love; embracing each other with a kiss. And the other is a state of mind; clinging to God’s peace that will not pass away – a peace that only God can give and the world cannot take away (John 14:23). These were Real people, this is the real and true Gospel of grace, and we are a real family of folks given over completely to Christ…that is the insider’s view of the early church and must be the full expression of it still today.

A Prayer…

Father, may I be useful to build Your church as a family of “resident aliens” loving You and loving each other as family, full of grace and peace as we await YOUR RETURN. You are our Lord, Savior and Judge – Jesus Christ. Amen.

What is God doing?

2013-12-10T07:54:00.002-08:00

Read 1 Peter 5:10-11

“To Him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.” (v 11)

Some Thoughts…

The God we seek to know in this sometimes harsh journey of life is the God of grace! He gives us more than we need and all that we have we do not deserve…And why does he do it? Because He knows the difficulties of this life and the trials we must endure, so He gives us more grace to empower us to live lives that point a watching world to the God who loves us all (see Romans 8:29-30; I Peter 1:1-2,7). But He doesn’t leave us alone in our struggles. He is there through it all recreating us into the image of Jesus (see Romans 8:29). God is also increasing our faith to look to the unseen and see those temporary trials as short-term in comparison to what is to come (see 2 Corinthians 4:16-18)…

We can find an attitude of confident hope in our God who is working in our lives right in the middle of our struggle. Peter uses four verbs to describe what God is doing in us as we stand firm in the faith:

1) He restores us – The word means to “put in order” or to “make right.” God is in the process right now of making you and me new; complete and lacking nothing. A process that will be completed at the end of our days in this flesh-bound existence.

2) He makes us strong - The idea here is that God gives us the strength of a lion, power that, for the most part, is calm and quiet until it springs into action at just the right moment – We have all the power we need to defeat the work of that other “roaring lion” who tries to devour us and the grace to walk in calm strength through the jungle of this fallen world.

3) God gives us a firm footing – As we resolve to stand in the faith that helps us grow in confidence and strength, we find our feet have found a firm, fixed position. We can be like a mountain goat frolicking over the uneven terrain of the rocky mountainside with careless ease.

4) God places us on a firm foundation – God’s foundation built on Jesus Christ is immovable, and if I will choose to surrender to His ways and stand my ground on His truth and promises, then I find that God has placed my life on a steadfast Rock that cannot be overwhelmed with life’s trials and storms (see Matthew 7:24-27; Colossians 1:23; Ephesians 3:17).

And that is why He deserves all the glory and power forever – because it is God who does it all, I simply stand and walk where He tells me, and no matter the hardships that life has for me I find the attitude of Christ giving me a confidence to live well and love those around me.

A Prayer…

Father, please give me eyes of faith to see the unseen and trust You to restore me and make me strong, firm and steadfast for your glory! Amen.