Finding Joy

DEVOTION

ECCLESIASTES

FINDING JOY

Eccl 7:13-18

13 Consider what God has done:

Who can straighten what he has made crooked? 14 When times are good, be happy; but when times are bad, consider: God has made the one as well as the other. Therefore, a man cannot discover anything about his future.

15 In this meaningless life of mine I have seen both of these:

a righteous man perishing in his righteousness, and a wicked man living long in his wickedness. 16 Do not be overrighteous, neither be overwise — why destroy yourself? 17 Do not be overwicked, and do not be a fool — why die before your time? 18 It is good to grasp the one and not let go of the other. The man who fears God will avoid all [extremes].  

NIV

How difficult is it to consider we have no effect on the real things that matter. We cannot change that which God has established. Just sit back and consider all that God has done. Who of us can change how the earth turns or the angle it sits at, or its orbit? Who of us can change how the moon orbits the earth or how the moon makes the tides of the ocean? Who of us can make it rain, snow, hail, lighting or thunder? Who of us can cause a tornado, a hurricane, or a rainbow? Who of us can cause the wind to blow or to stop blowing? How vain man can become in his accomplishments and yet we have done nothing when we consider all that God has done. So we are left with this life that, yes, even God gave. When we experience those good times in life, be happy. All too often we are so consumed with our next years, or future, we barely take time to stop and smell the roses. We have to make ready for our golden years and miss out on the good times of the now. That is not to say we should just sit back and do nothing, but the idea is we should enjoy our life because we have a lot of good days to enjoy. But if there are some days that are not so good, so what, God has made both those days. There is always something to learn about our life, from the good and the bad days. Our relationship with God is the primary concern and not our future. There are so many verses which talk about not be anxious for tomorrow, we would think we would get the point and just live in the joy of the Lord and enjoy each day God gives us to the fullest. Now Solomon seeing how vain all of life can be continues to consider the aspects of life. If we think we truly have control over the number of our days, we are deceiving ourselves. Of course someone can take their own life, and circumvent any aspect of God, but who would do that being of sound mind? Yet the fact remains God has our days numbered. It really does not matter if we are among the righteous or the wicked, he still has our days numbered. Because we are righteous, it does not guarantee a long life nor because someone is wicked it does not mean they will die early in life. Which of us can add a day to his life, or an inch to his height or his future?

Matt 6:25-34

25 "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? 28 "And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

NIV

This whole idea of not being overly wise or overly foolish, being so self-centered in all that we do, it all is meaningless or vanity and it brings no more days to our life. There is no point in being over righteous, or over wise. That is vanity. It is self-destructive. We spend so much time in trying to act righteous or getting so much knowledge, education, wisdom that we simply miss out on the joy of the Lord and end up destroying ourselves, or not being happy in the good days. There is no point in being over wicked either for that only brings us death and sooner than later. Certain behaviors can shorten our days, at least that is how it sounds. But if we fear the Lord, if we live in reverence of the Lord, considering all he has done and his almighty power and sovereignty, then we will avoid all those extremes and live the life God intended us to live, in his grace and peace, with joy in our hearts, content with what God is doing in our life. This is a life of real freedom. Free from worry, free from anxiety, stress, discontentment, sadness, greed, and whatever else that would bind us up and keep us from the joy of the Lord.