"But all this I laid to heart, examining it all, how the righteous and the wise and their deeds are in the hand of God. Whether it is love or hate, man does not know; both are before him. It is the same for all, since the same event happens to the righteous and the wicked, to the good and the evil...." (Ecclesiastes 9:1, ESV)
I read this Book every quarter because it is a part of THE BOOK.
People struggle with The Book of Ecclesiastes. It does not give the "spirituals" any satisfactory answers. If we believe, however, that this Book is also a part of the, "God-Breathed," Words, then there is something in this Book which is designed to, "reprove, rebuke, exhort, comfort, strengthen," all Biblical concepts.
There is a "Word" here for all the religious attempts to make life one consistent, non variable, full of, "Everything's okay, saith the Lord," experience. Too many evangelicals and charismatics are here. They just cannot stand life's contradictions, the observance that life just doesn't seem fair. They wrestle with life's unexplainables, and some sadly quit on our Lord Jesus because of the happenings in life, the same occurrences which, "the preacher," observed. Regrettably, they come to the conclusion of life found in verse 3, "This is an evil in all that is done under the sun, that the same event happens to all."
Verse 12 tells us, "For man does not know his time." Verse 17 says, "The words of the wise heard in quiet are better than the shouting of a ruler among fools." Okay, I don't claim today to have any more "insight" for you. Perhaps a quiet, "Selah," is all. What I do have and depend upon, cling to, trust in, and rely upon is that, "Jesus Christ is Lord", of the unexplainable, life's unanswerables, and that powerful Truth, "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever." Here are some words of a song I found today:
"Oh God of power, living Word
The One who made the stars
Who with Your glory filled the earth
From dust made beating hearts
You loved us when we fell away
Poured mercy on our souls
And promised grace would come to save
To loose death's iron hold
"Oh God, Who surely guides our steps
Through tempests and through trials
Our Shepherd King, Your way is best
Though tears now veil our eyes
Your steadfast love, our perfect hope
Our eyes are fixed on grace
We have no doubt You'll lead us home
To finally see Your Face."
Father, in Jesus' Name, I surrender anew to You today. 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.'"
Hebrews 12:2
Hebrews 12:2
