April 12, 2019

Ecclesiastes 5:18-20


Rachel Workman: 18 Even so, I have noticed one thing, at least, that is good. It is good for people to eat, drink, and enjoy their work under the sun during the short life God has given them, and to accept their lot in life. 19 And it is a good thing to receive wealth from God and the good health to enjoy it. To enjoy your work and accept your lot in life—this is indeed a gift from God. 20 God keeps such people so busy enjoying life that they take no time to brood over the past.

Wow, I love how God provides everything we need. Going beyond what we need so that our lives are consumed with enjoying it.
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John Burnett:  18 Here is what I have seen to be good and [a]fitting: to eat, to drink and [b]enjoy oneself in all one’s labor in which he toils under the sun during the few [c]years of his life which God has given him; for this is his [d]reward.  This is true for the non-believer more so than the believer because it is their only reward.  The believer has a far greater reward than that which is given here on earth.  19 Furthermore, as for every man to whom God has given riches and wealth, He has also empowered him to eat from them and to receive his [e]reward and rejoice in his labor; this is the gift of God.  This is known as common grace.  This is what God provides for us to live on.  20 For he will not often [f]consider the [g]years of his life, because God keeps [h]him occupied with the gladness of his heart.  When you are born again and have the Holy Spirit living inside of you God will keep you occupied with the gladness of His heart.  You hate sin like he hates sin and you begin to love as He loved, sacrificially.
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Monday’s reading for Ecclesiastes 6:1-6

6 There is another serious tragedy I have seen under the sun, and it weighs heavily on humanity. God gives some people great wealth and honor and everything they could ever want, but then he doesn’t give them the chance to enjoy these things. They die, and someone else, even a stranger, ends up enjoying their wealth! This is meaningless—a sickening tragedy.
A man might have a hundred children and live to be very old. But if he finds no satisfaction in life and doesn’t even get a decent burial, it would have been better for him to be born dead. His birth would have been meaningless, and he would have ended in darkness. He wouldn’t even have had a name, and he would never have seen the sun or known of its existence. Yet he would have had more peace than in growing up to be an unhappy man. He might live a thousand years twice over but still not find contentment. And since he must die like everyone else—well, what’s the use?

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