"'Vanities of vanities,' says the preacher; 'Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.'" (Ecclesiastes 1:2)
Or, "Meaningless! Meaningless!...Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless." (NIV)
Today's text is from my Wisdom Literature reading. The Hebrew word for, "vanity," is translated throughout the Old Testament as, "breath, delusion, emptiness, fleeting, fraud, futility, nothing, useless, vapor, worthless." Now some would say that the old man had just succumbed to cynicism, or because of his sin and acceptance of the idols of his many women, he had no longer God's perspective on life. Really?
I read today of a Chinese Follower of Jesus whose husband told her if she did not recant her faith, he would divorce her. She said, "You may leave me, but I will never leave Jesus." Also, there was a 60 year old woman in Viet Nam (you remember; one of the growing number of countries where America goes to war, supposedly to "free" people, then decides it's not worth it, "Meaningless!") who was beaten by police for the same reason. There would be no room for these women in much of Christendom.
It seems to me, "The Preacher," just finally came to the realization that apart from Jesus Christ there is absolutely nothing in life, not just personal life, but also national life which is anything but delusional, empty, fleeting, a vapor. But with and in Jesus Christ life is the exact opposite. Even in the midst of threatened abandonment, beatings, imprisonments, rejection, there is that of which the old Apostle spoke, "joy unspeakable and full of glory." He had experienced it all. And I saw the same, "joy unspeakable and full of glory," it in my Grandpa Barnette's eyes and smile when he was breathing his last breath in this life, "The other side is looking better."
What do you see today of, "the other side?" If you see Jesus, your "eyes" will tell it. In the midst of, "vanities of vanities," when you are tempted to conclude that all of life it, "Meaningless!", then in the midst of fraud, delusion, useless vapor, "Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus, Look full in His Wonderful Face, And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace." "The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever."! While the hopelessness, which ruins and defeats so many around you, is growing globally, remember the Words of God, "It shall not come nigh you." You are one, "....who dwells in the secret place of the Most High...." You, "....abide under the shadow of the Almighty," King Jesus Christ. You say with the psalmist, "He is my refuge and my fortress; My God in Him I will trust....You shall not be afraid of...the destruction that lays waste at noonday." Whatever happens to those who surrender to, "Meaningless!" Meaningless!", those who "burn out" because of, "delusion of delusions," Our Lord Jesus Christ promises us that He, "....keep you in all your ways."
Father, in the midst of, "Meaningless!" as the song writer said, "I glad there is You."Amen.
Or, "Meaningless! Meaningless!...Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless." (NIV)
Today's text is from my Wisdom Literature reading. The Hebrew word for, "vanity," is translated throughout the Old Testament as, "breath, delusion, emptiness, fleeting, fraud, futility, nothing, useless, vapor, worthless." Now some would say that the old man had just succumbed to cynicism, or because of his sin and acceptance of the idols of his many women, he had no longer God's perspective on life. Really?
I read today of a Chinese Follower of Jesus whose husband told her if she did not recant her faith, he would divorce her. She said, "You may leave me, but I will never leave Jesus." Also, there was a 60 year old woman in Viet Nam (you remember; one of the growing number of countries where America goes to war, supposedly to "free" people, then decides it's not worth it, "Meaningless!") who was beaten by police for the same reason. There would be no room for these women in much of Christendom.
It seems to me, "The Preacher," just finally came to the realization that apart from Jesus Christ there is absolutely nothing in life, not just personal life, but also national life which is anything but delusional, empty, fleeting, a vapor. But with and in Jesus Christ life is the exact opposite. Even in the midst of threatened abandonment, beatings, imprisonments, rejection, there is that of which the old Apostle spoke, "joy unspeakable and full of glory." He had experienced it all. And I saw the same, "joy unspeakable and full of glory," it in my Grandpa Barnette's eyes and smile when he was breathing his last breath in this life, "The other side is looking better."
What do you see today of, "the other side?" If you see Jesus, your "eyes" will tell it. In the midst of, "vanities of vanities," when you are tempted to conclude that all of life it, "Meaningless!", then in the midst of fraud, delusion, useless vapor, "Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus, Look full in His Wonderful Face, And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace." "The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever."! While the hopelessness, which ruins and defeats so many around you, is growing globally, remember the Words of God, "It shall not come nigh you." You are one, "....who dwells in the secret place of the Most High...." You, "....abide under the shadow of the Almighty," King Jesus Christ. You say with the psalmist, "He is my refuge and my fortress; My God in Him I will trust....You shall not be afraid of...the destruction that lays waste at noonday." Whatever happens to those who surrender to, "Meaningless!" Meaningless!", those who "burn out" because of, "delusion of delusions," Our Lord Jesus Christ promises us that He, "....keep you in all your ways."
Father, in the midst of, "Meaningless!" as the song writer said, "I glad there is You."Amen.
When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"
"Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2
"Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2
