It has been awhile, yet the mind of me has not been still, thoughts roam and some even settle for some time within, stirring and encouraging a continued shaping and changing of me. One such idea was born from the Gospel of John chapter 3 verse 30. John the baptist made a statement regarding his relationship with Christ. People told him that Jesus was now baptising and that everyone was going to him instead of coming to hear and be baptised by John. His reply included the statement. "he must become greater, I must become less". How powerful is that? How prophetic? It this not the essence of walking in the light? Each believer must come to that point of realization. I must, that is my "self" must become lessor thus allowing Christ in me to become greater. Our Lord is a gentle teacher, he speaks in a small still voice, and when the self is screaming, how can I hear his voice. We must quiet the self, Jesus said, "Matt 16:24-25"If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 25 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it.NIV
There it is," deny himself", as plain and as simple as that. With all the personal preferences, with all the goals and aspirations of life, with all the dreams of having this or that, with all the needs for self pleasure and aggrandisement's, with all the desires for applause and praise from others. Deny all that, and follow Jesus. I must become lessor so that he may become greater.
Oh to be like Jesus!
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The real trick, it seems to me, is to learn to take pleasure and find satisfaction in God, not in myself.
Eccl 6:7 All the toil of man is for his mouth, yet his appetite is not satisfied.
I have pondered that verse again and again, and then thought about it some more.
And yet, it gets confusing, because just in the previous chapter, he says:
18 Behold, what I have seen to be good and fitting is to eat and drink and find enjoyment in all the toil with which one toils under the sun the few days of his life that God has given him, for this is his lot.
So it seems here that we are supposed to take enjoyment in our toil, and yet all our toil is for our mouths, and our appetites are never satisfied.
Paul reiterates this point:
Phil 3:18 For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. 19 Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things.
So now I think that perhaps the preacher of Ecclesiastes means that by nature, that is the sinful nature, all man's efforts are for his mouth, his god is his belly (not the One True God), and their end is destruction.
But praise God, for we are not his enemies, thanks to the cross of Christ. Therefore we may find enjoyment as we live to the glory of God, not taking pleasure in filling our belly, but in Him who gave us bellies and the means to fill them. And this seems to be the preacher's point:
Eccl 12:13 The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.
Pleasure, true satisfaction, true pleasure and happiness comes not in serving ourselves, but in serving God, which as we know can only begin and end with the cross of Christ, who is our only hope.
Rev 22:13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end. 14 Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates.
When I was a kid, I learned that my name meant: Who is like God? I wasn't sure I liked it very much in those days, the fact that my name means that. But now, I think I like it just fine. Indeed, who IS like God?
Psalm 73:25 Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. 26 My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. 27 For behold, those who are far from you shall perish; you put an end to everyone who is unfaithful to you. 28 But for me it is good to be near God; I have made the Lord God my refuge, that I may tell of all your works.
And it is with this God that Christ has made for us peace. And yet we also know that Christ is this God, and in him alone is true satisfaction. To serve him, to live for him, indeed even to die for him is better than a thousand lifetimes lived serving the mouth.
Michael
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