DAILY REMINDER – Today, July 25’s Bible reading is Ecclesiastes 5-8.
NEXT DAY REMINDER – Tomorrow, July 26’s Bible reading is Ecclesiastes 9-12.
May God bless you with the reading of His WORD.
ECCLESIASTES MOMENT – (25JUL19) “A man may have a hundred children
and live many years; yet no matter how long he lives, if he cannot enjoy his
prosperity and does not receive proper burial, I say that a stillborn child is
better off than he” (Ecclesiastes 6:3). The Teacher in Ecclesiastes was
bringing attention to the importance of enjoying life. During biblical times,
great emphasis was placed on having children which was a sign of prosperity.
Yet, the Teacher was making the point that a person can have prosperity and longevity,
but not enjoy it. In so doing, the child that had never breathe his first
breath was better off than the one this happens to.
There are many people who have material possessions, but they do not
have happiness. They have plenty of friends and associates, but they feel all
alone. They are surrounded by family and loved ones, but feel empty inside. These
are the types of people that the Teacher was referring too. What good is it to
have any of this if one cannot take joy in it. But, where does joy come from?
The Bible says, “May the God of hope fill you
with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit
you may abound in hope” (Romans 15:13).
Joy and even peace comes from the Lord. Many people are trying to find substitutes
for what only the Lord can bring. Happiness cannot be found in a person or
item, but the Lord is the One who settles the heart and makes it beat.
Prosperity is good to have, but the enjoyment of it only comes from the One who
gave it. Something to ponder….
QUESTION OF THE DAY - (25JUL19)
Have you ever wished that you could go back to the good ole days? The Teacher
of Ecclesiastes wrote this to those who do: “Do not say, ‘Why were the
old days better than these?” For it is not wise to ask such questions”
(Ecclesiastes 6:10). Some of us have thought that we wish we knew then
what we know now, but would we have actually been wise enough to make the right
decision even then? The Teacher was telling the reader that it was a waste of
time to wish for something that could never be. None of us can turn back the
hands of time and repeat what once was. All we can do is learn from the past
and use it to have a more productive future. We have all made mistakes in life,
but it is not about making mistakes that will ultimately define you as a person.
It is how you use those experiences to develop as the person that God wants you
to be today. Looking back with regrets can only prevent you from moving forward.
We cannot change what has been done, but we can be a role model, impactful
person, and a helping hand for the one who is in the same shoes that we once
were in. The Bible has this to say about what was written in the past for our betterment
today, “For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our
instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the
Scriptures we might have hope” (Romans 15:4). Even with the Word of
God, we can learn from the past of others to help us in our Christian walk for
today. Something to ponder….
ECCLESIASTES MOMENT – (25JUL19) “Do not pay attention to
every word people say, or you may hear your servant cursing you – for you know
in your heart that many times you yourself have cursed others” (Ecclesiastes
7:21-22). None of us like for people to speak negatively about us, but
it happens. Many people, unfortunately, live their lives based on what other
people’s opinions are of them, which is a miserable way to live. Yet, we should
be careful about what we say concerning others even during our complaints. The Teacher
in Ecclesiastes was telling the reader that a person should not eavesdrop on others’
conversations just in case they hear something that they wish they hadn’t. Let’s
be honest for a minute – how many times have we had grudgingly things to say
about others? Well, we would be foolish to think that others do not have the
right to express their complaints about us as well. We may not like it, but
that is the simple reality of things.
Everyone will complain, have a gripe, or concern at some point in their
lives regarding others, so if we feel entitled to express our complaints,
should not others be able to do the same? The Teacher is just telling the reader
to expect others to voice their opinions of you just as you have about others,
but not to take it to heart. Having a complaint does not mean that you do not
like or love the person. It just expresses something that you wish would change
about the individual. Unlike when the Children of Israel were mummering against
God, we are not Him; therefore, we can voice our opinions in love, but not
worry about the opinions of others. Something to ponder…
Excellent lessons. I had always wondered why some of the things in this book were written this way. Some of the verses seems so depressing, but your commentary presented these verses in a different light, especially the first one about enjoying life. Thank you for presenting these scriptures in a different light.
ReplyDeleteYou are welcome!
Delete