S) "10 All that my eyes desired I did not refuse them. I did not withhold my heart from any pleasure, for my heart was pleased because of all my labor and this was my reward for all my labor. 11 Thus I considered all my activities which my hands had done and the labor which I had exerted, and behold all was vanity and striving after wind and there was no profit under the sun."
Ecclesiastes 2:10-11 (NASB)
*because there are already entries for each of these chapters, I also read Ecclesiastes 2
*because there are already entries for each of these chapters, I also read Ecclesiastes 2
O) This chapter opens with musings about pleasure, laughter, and wine. Solomon concluded briefly that this may not be the answer to his woes, and he turned to works. He ran through a list of accomplishments (mostly based in wisdom and understanding), his accumulations, and his possessions. When he got to the verses above, he noted that it is all vanity and striving after the wind. He took pride in his work, and it pleased him to do it (apparently as much as wine, laughter, and pleasure), but in the end it was just as useless to him.
A) Everyone has struggles and vices. For me, work and accomplishments have never been alluring. I have never been one to particularly struggle with overworking or overachieving. Accumulating wealth has never been a motivation to me. So, when I read this chapter, and saw that Solomon had equated this kind of conquest with that of more carnal pleasures, it seemed a little out of place. However, there is one area that is just as much about accomplishment, just as much about building something, and probably even more vanity and chasing the wind. At the root of his problems, was the fact that all his pursuits were only forms of idolatry. In my life, videogames can be just as much idolatry. When we take other things and make them idols, it's often not an option to simply cut them out of our life entirely (like food, or work, or family becoming idols), so the aim can only be changing the heart. However, I have decided to stop playing videogames for a time, in an effort to regain self-control, and reset it as a hobby and dethrone it as an idol in my heart.
P) Father, I'm laying down this practice, this temptation to make my hobby an idol. I don't want to obsess about an activity. I don't want my hobby to drive my behaviors and my decisions. I don't want my hobby to dominate my thoughts and affect my moods. As I lay down playing videogames, help me to change my heart. Let this be an outer symbol of an inner heart change. Let me keep the throne of my heart sanctified, holy, and reserved only for You, Lord. Reign in me, and have let Your will be done in my life. I pray that often, and sometimes I imagine that You would commandeer my life. That's not even what I want, though, God. I don't want You to forcefully take over. If it came to that, please do it. But more to the point, I want to lay down my life to You, Lord. I want to lay down my rights. I want to lay down my desires. I only want You to rule in my heart, Lord. Be my obsession, God. Drive my behaviors and decisions. Dominate my thoughts and my moods. I lift You up, You alone. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment