Sunday, July 10, 2016

What’s the Point?


What’s the Point?


Several weeks ago I was on the phone with a dear friend I had not talked with in a while. He is a faithful follower of Jesus Christ, God has blessed him with a great family, he serves faithfully in his church… Quite honestly, everything was going well with him. But there was something he wanted to talk about; his job.

You know those times when work becomes work; the days turn into weeks, the weeks turn into months, and you start asking yourself, ‘What’s the point?’ That is where he was. That is where I have been before. Not necessarily a huge problem, just that overbearing weight of, ‘Where is this all heading – I feel stuck. Is there something more or better out there for me?’

A week or so after we talked, I found myself reading Ecclesiastes. God is so awesome that way. He often leads us to just the right place in His Word. Looking for answers, He’s got ’em!

The following is an extremely high level overview of Ecclesiastes; Solomon deals with some really deep issues in this relatively small Book in the Old Testament. And believe me, I understand that there is a lot in this Book that I don’t understand, and much I am not attempting to deal with here. But, as Ecclesiastes relates to the conversation with my friend, and as Solomon speaks to many other significant issues we observe in the world, this is what God laid on my heart as I read through what He led Solomon to write.

What’s the point?
  • Ecclesiastes 1:1-2 The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem. 2 “Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher; “Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.”
    • Futility. Emptiness. Unsatisfying. Solomon gets right to the point; living in a fallen world is no bed of roses.

What’s the benefit of working so hard?
  • Ecclesiastes 1:3 What profit has a man from all his labor In which he toils under the sun?
    • Even if I am providing well for my family’s material needs, am I really making a difference? I give so much of myself to work, there is often not much of me left for my family.

Where is the rule of law?
  • Ecclesiastes 3:16 Moreover I saw under the sun: In the place of judgment, Wickedness was there; And in the place of righteousness, Iniquity was there.
    • Look around. Instead of justice, I see wickedness. Instead of right, I see wrong.

Why are some world leaders so cruel?
  • Ecclesiastes 4:1 Then I returned and considered all the oppression that is done under the sun: And look! The tears of the oppressed, But they have no comforter— On the side of their oppressors there is power, But they have no comforter.
    • There are so many tyrants in the world. There are literally millions of people beat down by those who should be working to lift them up. Why? For what purpose?

Why do so many good people suffer and evil people prosper?
  • Ecclesiastes 7:15 I have seen everything in my days of vanity: There is a just man who perishes in his righteousness, And there is a wicked man who prolongs life in his wickedness.
    • Being as ‘real’ as I can be, what crosses my mind, ‘Why would, how could a just and loving God allow these things to happen?’

Now wait just a minute. Hold on here. Is all the craziness in this world causing me to question God’s sovereign rule? Am I doubting His goodness and love for me? Dare I question His existence?

ABSOLUTELY NOT!

And neither is Solomon.

Who are we to question God’s ways?
  • Ecclesiastes 11:5 As you do not know what is the way of the wind, Or how the bones grow in the womb of her who is with child, So you do not know the works of God who makes everything.
    • It is arrogant to question what God does and allows.

What is the primary purpose of my life?
  • Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, For this is man’s all. For God will bring every work into judgment, Including every secret thing, Whether good or evil.
    • God made me to be in a right relationship with Him, to reverence Him, and to glorify Him in all I do.

What does God have to say about all this?
  • Romans 11:33-34 Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out! 34 “For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has become His counselor?”
  • Proverbs 9:10 “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
  • Romans 9:20 But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God? Will the thing formed say to him who formed it, “Why have you made me like this?”
  • Isaiah 46:9-10 Remember the former things of old, For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me, 10 Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things that are not yet done, Saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, And I will do all My pleasure,’
  • Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.
  • Romans 8:32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?
  • Colossians 3:23 And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.
  • Romans 8:18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
  • Isaiah 25:8-9 He will swallow up death forever, And the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces; The rebuke of His people He will take away from all the earth; For the Lord has spoken. 9 And it will be said in that day: “Behold, this is our God; We have waited for Him, and He will save us. This is the Lord; We have waited for Him; We will be glad and rejoice in His salvation.”
  • 1 Corinthians 15:58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.

Regardless of what we see, experience or feel,
we must press on.

We are to seek, obey, love and trust Him!


Prayer

Holy Father in Heaven, You are righteous, loving and true in all that you allow and do. Forgive us when we doubt. Forgive us when we don’t trust in Your goodness. We don’t have Your eternal perspective; but we do have Your Word and Your Spirit to guide and teach us. Please use Your Holy Spirit and the faith only You can give to transform our thinking. Life is not meaningless when it is lived in obedience and service to You. What is the point? You are! I love You, praise You and pray to You in the name of Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior.