“Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.”
When Solomon tried to make sense out of life, after all is said and done there is only God who gives us any meaning in life.
I would like to put Solomon's summary in three important lessons of life.
1) Earthly pursuits are futile. The king has tried them all and they do not satisfy. Satan will seek to get you off the path of real joy for temporary pleasure and in the end there is nothing.
2) The joy of the things of this earth come only when they are in proper perspective. Ecclesiastes 2:24-25 “There is nothing better for a person than that he should eat and drink and find enjoyment in his toil. This also, I saw, is from the hand of God, for apart from him who can eat or who can have enjoyment?” In other words, all that exists was created by God for us, but we can only find enjoyment in all of it if we are in the right relationship with God. To the man outside of God’s relationship these gifts of God are not enjoyed.
Friends, this summary of Solomon in the context of the total message of his book. God is the only one that brings eternity to our temporary life. With Him nothing else really matters, where we work, or what we do with our lives, only with Him there is purpose. Sin may have its fleeting pleasure, but it is so short lived and it is vanity, a vapor that quickly passes.
3) Remember that our ultimate accountability is to God. You must answer for what you do as a Christian. I’ve heard people rationalizing why they don't have to give to God. I wondered who are they trying to convince. They must answer to God for how they use His gifts of finances, not to me. I heard people give excuses as to why recreation is more important than joining together with believers for worship. Don't deceive yourself with a set of legalistic rules. The works of God is to believe in Jesus Christ and love God with all your heart, and your mind, and your soul. If God comes first then He gives you other things to enjoy, but if you lose them, no sweat, for God is in control. However, if He is not the love of your life and you lose things then you have lost the love of your life.
Because God is the God of eternity and gives a life everlasting with Him, then everything finds meaning and purpose in seeking to glorify and honor God.
Prayer: Lord, I pray that all I do in my everyday walk on this earth be done in Your presence for Your Glory. Make that my hearts desire.
*****************************
If you wish to get the fuller version of this daily devotion, send a request via email to pastordale@outlook.com
