S) "12 For who knows what is good for a man during his lifetime, during the few years of his futile life? He will spend them like a shadow. For who can tell a man what will be after him under the sun?"
Ecclesiastes 6:12 (NASB)
*because there are already entries for each of these chapters, I also read Ecclesiastes 6
*because there are already entries for each of these chapters, I also read Ecclesiastes 6
O) This is an interesting sort of warning, because the writer isn't warning us directly, but this verse seems to highlight one of the struggles of this book, and how this book can be used as a cautionary tale. This chapter focuses a lot on the futility of life, and this last verse alludes to one of the key issues the writer was wrestling. A man might struggle, fearing what will happen to him when he dies. This is best addressed with the promise of eternal life through the gospel. But, there is a different fear about death, too. There is the fear about what happens to everyone else. There is the fear of irrelevance. There is the fear of impotence once he is gone. This is what the writer wrestles in this chapter. Eventually, the writer does get to more of the correct point (see Ecclesiastes 12:13-14), but not necessarily the deeper issues that caused these sort of existential doubts.
A) Life insurance is a big industry. The biggest selling point seems to be, that the insurance will provide for my family after I am gone and I cannot provide for them. This, like the verse above, misses a critical point that I must never forget. If I do, I will fall for insurance taglines, and I will fall prey to the thought process in the verse above. I must remember that I do not provide for my family. I do not control the destiny of my children. I do not control my professional successes. I do not establish have my own legacy. All of this revolves around the glory of God. In my life, I am blessed to be used as God provides for my family and receives the glory. I am blessed to be used to as an instrument as God instructs and loves my children and receives the glory. I am blessed to be used as God makes me successful or not, and He is glorified one way or the other. I am blessed to be used, to be named after I die, as being some part of the lives of others, as they learn about God's love for them, the power of the gospel, and learn to glorify God themselves. In that way, I am only a part of a bigger legacy that God creates through His church. I still don't always know for sure, what is going to be good in my lifetime. I make decisions based on the wisdom I have, certainly based on the Bible, with wise counsel from other Christians who also seek God's will regularly. But, as I live out my life, as long as I am seeking to glorify God, instead of seeking my own glory, then I can be assured my life will have meaning, because God will continue to be glorified even after my time under the sun. In that way, I participated in a much greater good, and that greater good, that best good, will continue under the sun, until the return of Christ.
P) Father, help me stay focused, God. You are worthy of all praise, honor, and glory. You are worthy of it all. Everything I have to give, I give to You, Lord. Help me to be faithful as a steward. Help me be faithful as a Christian, with the work of the Kingdom and the spread of the gospel. Help me be faithful as a husband, to love my wife as Christ loves the church, to highlight the gospel through my marriage. Help me be faithful as a dad, to show my kids the love of Christ, and the instruction of the Bible, and the leading of the Holy Spirit. I pray that when I am done under this sun, that I have glorified You with my life. Let Your will be done. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.
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