One Thing for Sure...

"Go, eat your food with gladness, and drink your wine with a joyful heart, for it is now that God favors what you do. Always be clothed in white, and always anoint your head with oil. Enjoy life with your wife, whom you love, all the days of this meaningless life that God has given you under the sun— all your meaningless days. For this is your lot in life and in your toilsome labor under the sun. Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the grave, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom." (Ecclesiastes 9:7-10, NIV)

As I was reading through Ecclesiastes, I came across this passage that I am sure I have read before. However, this time It really hit me in a way that it had not before. (Especially verse 10) "Whatever your hand finds to do, Do IT WITH ALL YOUR MIGHT! For in the grave, where you are going, there is neither working, nor planning, nor knowledge, nor wisdom!"

First off, we have to continually be asking ourselves if, in every task we undertake, are we striving to accomplish that task with all of our might/effort that we could possibly put forth? I know that I can answer that question with a quick NO!
This goes for tasks as great as serving our loved ones to tasks as little as filling out a daily report at work. One might say that I am being a bit extreme in my example but I believe that we are called to be a bit radical in our faith! For example, "When Jesus heard this, he said to him, "You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." (Luke 18:22, NIV). The cost of discipleship is far greater than most are willing to pay. We read passages like the one above and meditate on it, we understand it, but we don't often think of what our response might be if we were placed in the same scenario today.

Second, how powerful is the next part of verse 10. "For in the grave, WHERE YOU ARE GOING, there is neither working, nor planning, nor knowledge, nor wisdom." The writer makes it very clear throughout Ecclesiastes to make sure we know that one thing in life is certain; we all will die someday. When it will be, no one but our Lord knows, but one thing for sure, IT WILL BE! How often do you think about your own mortality? That at any moment, everything you have on this earth and all that you are familiar with could be stripped away. Your wife/husband, your kids, your house, your cars! Are you at a place where you could part with these things and still give praise to God in that same moment?

It is my prayer that we all will realize how precious the gifts are that God has blessed us with and that we will do everything we do with all of our might and the strength that God supplies. May we always remember, it is by grace alone through faith alone, IN CHRIST alone, that we are saved! What a gift our salvation is!

By His Grace...