The resources God has given us to live a thriving life are His Word, Spirit, and People.
Read God’s Word:
Ecclesiastes 7-12
Act 2: God’s Covenant People
Scene 5: Kings and Prophets: God shapes a kingdom people
Background Information: Ecclesiastes 7-12
“For who knows what is good for anyone in life, in the few days of his futile life that he spends like a shadow? Who can tell anyone what will happen after him under the sun?”
Ecclesiastes 6:12
Two questions are asked at the end of chapter six: “What is the purpose of life?” and “What happens after we die?” These two questions are essential components of everyone’s worldview. Many people have not carefully thought through these important questions, but everyone has some idea as to their answers. We simply must not get the answers to these questions wrong. To get the first wrong is to waste your life. To get the second wrong is to lose your life forever. The author has wisdom, but he is often grasping for straws in his attempts to answer these questions because of the limits of human wisdom. Remember he is struggling to make sense out of a life that seems to be, in the end, futile, a vapor. The book ends with a settled conclusion. First, we find a warning against an over-reliance on human wisdom. If he warned about the “making of many books” in his time, imagine what he would say today! There is no end to human speculation on these important questions. Next, he gives the right answer to the two important questions: What is the purpose of life, and what happens after this life? Fear and obey God, because God will, in the end, exercise righteous judgment. (12:13,14).
The writer of Ecclesiastes had a limited view because he did not have the full revelation of God that was yet to come in Christ Jesus. Paul uses a Greek translation of hebel (futility) in his letter to the Romans. We do groan under the weight of this life as it currently is. Things can often feel futile, but we groan with gospel hope! We have what Solomon did not: the Holy Spirit empowering our perspective. We do not look around and see hebel; we see a future hope!
“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is going to be revealed to us. For the creation eagerly waits with anticipation for God’s sons to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to futility—not willingly, but because of him who subjected it—in the hope that the creation itself will also be set free from the bondage to decay into the glorious freedom of God’s children. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together with labor pains until now. Not only that, but we ourselves who have the Spirit as the firstfruits—we also groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for adoption, the redemption of our bodies. Now in this hope we were saved, but hope that is seen is not hope, because who hopes for what he sees? Now if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with patience.”
Romans 8:18-25
Pray:
Praise God for…
Thank God for…
Confess your sins to God
Today at Kids Camp, the kids will learn that God’s word, promises and people give us courage, and that we can give courage to others, too. Pray for all the volunteers pouring God’s love into our kids. Today’s memory verse: Hebrews 3:13.
Ask God for… (what else concerns you?)
Reflect:
Write down one passage of scripture that stood out to you today.
Write down why this passage stood out to you.
Engage Community:
Text or call someone now and tell them…
– What you are praying for.
– What stood out from God’s word today.