Right Next Door

Ecclesiastes 9

Shoo wee, Ecclesiastes has been throwing me for a loop!  The Teacher (presumably Solomon) is such a skeptic.  No doubt, his words must ring true to so many unbelievers these days.  To sum up and paraphrase his thoughts in this chapter, I think it's fair to say he is asserting that one should eat, drink and be merry as long as you can because you're just going to die anyway.  Honestly, as I read his thoughts, I just feel sad.  There is no joy, no hope, no promise of anything more...  The thought that there is just an empty, dark hole in the ground beckoning you - awaiting the moment you enter to be no more, to be forgotten; the end of your futile life - what sadness that brings me.

1 Corinthians 15:16-19 "For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either.  And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost.  If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied."

1 Corinthians 15:57, 58b "But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ...  You know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain."

For that person who has a longing deep in his soul... a yearning for more than incessant laboring in vain; hear me when I say that there is more!  Friend, there is more glory and peace than I could ever tell you in Christ Jesus!  Blessed freedom from the oppression of endless toil!  I encourage you to take hope and allow yourself to listen to that yearning in your soul.  Today, truly I pray for you.  I hope beyond hopes that you will accept God's calling on your heart.  I hope you can yoke up to Him who loves you and gives you hope for a good future.

For those that know Christ Jesus and who live in Him, I pray today that you are burdened for those that don't know Him.  I am so guilty of assuming that this is another world problem.  I am telling you that people are lost all around us - and I think it's important to be burdened and not self-righteous.   To engage in arguments and political banter is not the way to love.  Can we agree that to "be the church" we must emulate Christ?  Build relationships.  Get to know people instead of pushing tracts or talking down to them.  Share your struggles instead of painting a picture perfect life.  Share, also, how you rely on Him to get you through the impossible days... and the not so impossible ones.  How redirecting to the Greater keeps the focus off the lesser.   I don't think isolating ourselves is the answer, either; especially when we bubble together out of fear.  God lives in you, sweet friend - so when you fall short, He's right there to be the words you don't have.  He can bridge the gap to relate when you think you've got nothing in common.  Trust Him.  Lean in.  Pray.  Ask.  Listen.  Obey.