better off than the living

Posted on January 7, 2016 by Jefferson Vann

ARE WE REFLECTING GENTLENESS AND KINDNESS?

January 2016 (7)Ecclesiastes 4:1-3

1 I looked again at all the cruelties that are committed under the sun. I just watched, the tears of those maltreated, and they had no one to comfort them! On the side of their oppressors there was power, and there was no one to comfort them. 2 And I reasoned that the dead who are already dead are better off than the living who are still alive. 3 But better than both is he who has not yet been and has not experienced the evil deeds that are committed under the sun.

better off than the living

When the collector examined the society around him, he discovered more oppression and cruelty than he expected. He noticed that not only sometimes, but most times, people get a bad shake from those in power. It leads to suffering, cruelty without check. He concluded that power tends to corrupt, and those under that power live lives that experience the sharp end of that corruption. As a result, he concluded that it would be better not to have lived at all, rather than face such odds at living miserable.

Reading such texts, we have to be aware that this is only part of the argument. Otherwise, the observation could be misapplied, and used to justify things like abortion, genocide, and euthanasia. The collector did not have any of those things in mind, and if he did, he would have lumped them along with the other cruelties the powerful inflict on the powerless. No, his point is that society is broken, and people suffer needlessly all too often. Life is not fair.

LORD, forgive us for being part of a society that is cruel to the weak, and causes suffering. Holy Spirit, make your church a reflection of your gentleness and kindness.

Posted in gentleness, kindness, suffering | Tagged | Leave a comment

until Jesus

Posted on January 6, 2016 by Jefferson Vann

WHY THE WORLD NEEDS JESUS

January 2016 (6)Ecclesiastes 3:20-22

20 We all go to one place. All are from the dust, and to dust we all return. 21 Who knows whether the breath of man goes upward and the breath of the beast goes down into the earth? 22 So I discovered that there is nothing better than that a man should enjoy his work, because that is his lot. Who can raise himself so he can see what will be after him?

until Jesus

Two very important questions are raised by the collector when he examines the reality of mortality. Solomon anticipates that the religious will object that humans are different – that when we die our breath goes to God. So he asks “who knows if it is true?” He’s not necessarily denying it. He’s simply stating that no one can prove it. Someone would have to come back from the dead to explain that it happens that way.

His second question builds upon that. He asks “Who can raise himself so he can see what will be after him?” The honest will respond to this question with “no one” as well.

The answers to those two questions will remain the same for centuries … until Jesus. Jesus was not only raised from the dead himself, he offered resurrection life to everyone who believes in him. Solomon prepared us for the gospel by exposing the naked truth of our own mortality.

LORD, show us how to tell the world that they really need resurrection life, and that it is only available through Christ.

Posted in gospel, Jesus Christ, mortality, resurrection | Tagged | Leave a comment

testing time

Posted on January 5, 2016 by Jefferson Vann

January 2016 (5)Ecclesiastes 3:16-19

16 Again, I saw under the sun that in the place where justice was expected, there was wickedness, and in the place where righteousness was expected, there was wickedness. 17 I said in my heart, God will judge the righteous and the wicked, because there is a time for every matter and for every work. 18 I said in my heart with regard to the children of Adam that God is testing them that they may understand that they themselves are like animals. 19 Because what is happening to the children of Adam and what is happening to the animals is the same; as one dies, so dies the other. They all have the same breath, and man has no advantage over the animals, because everything is impermanent.

testing time

Solomon makes two philosophical conclusions about the time we are all living in. These conclusions are somewhat radical in that they oppose some of the basic tenets of popular philosophy and religion. Yet these two philosophical conclusions are essential to understanding the good news revealed in the Bible: the message of deliverance through Christ.

  • First, there is no lasting justice or righteousness in this time. Good does not win all the time – in fact, it seldom does. If you dare to look in the places where you would expect justice and righteousness, you will find it conspicuously absent.
  • Secondly, there is no immortality. Human beings are separated from the animals by numerous characteristics and abilities, but immortality is not one of them. In that respect, we are the same as the slugs. Remember, it was Satan who suggested to Eve in the Garden of Eden that humans cannot die.[1] The Bible teaches that God alone has immortality.[2]

Now that we have destroyed the basic foundation of most every philosophy and religion on the planet, we are free to see what the collector discovered about reality. This time which we call life is a time of testing. We are being tested to see if we can look beyond this time of injustice and believe in ultimate justice through God’s judgment. We are being tested to see if we can look beyond our present mortality and see God’s deliverance through resurrection.

As we are determined to bring people into the light, we need to avoid confusing them by agreeing that people are basically good, or that everyone will live forever. Those principles deny the reality that Solomon discovered. It is that reality that serves as the appropriate backdrop to the gospel message of deliverance through Christ.

LORD, give us the courage to speak the truth to our generation.

[1] Genesis 3:4.

[2] 1 Timothy 6:16.

Posted in dependence upon God, discernment, justice, mortality, resurrection, righteousness, Solomon | Tagged | Leave a comment

accountable

Posted on January 4, 2016 by Jefferson Vann

LIFE MATTERS

January 2016 (4)Ecclesiastes 3:12-15

12 I figured out that there is nothing better for them than to be joyous and to do good as long as they live; 13 also that everyone should eat and drink and take pleasure in all his work – this is God’s gift to man. 14 I figured out that whatever God does endures forever; nothing can be added to it, nor anything taken from it. God has done it, so that people fear his presence. 15 What is, already has been; what is to be, already has been; and God holds us accountable for what we forget.

accountable

The collector’s message is not that everything is futile and nothing matters. It is the opposite of that. We are held accountable for our attitudes and actions and our failures to act. Life matters, not because we are immortal, but because God is. We can choose to ignore his existence and authority, but if we do so, we will be held accountable for that choice. God is real, and it is right for us to fear him.

But, fearing God does not entail cowering in his presence, as if he hates us. This God whom we are to fear loves us dearly. The cross tells us that. And, what he expects of us is that we live upright lives, do as much good as possible, and exhibit joy. Yes, joy. It is the fruit of the Holy Spirit.[1] Solomon spent most of his life trying to gain access to that joy. In his later years, he discovered that joy comes from a right relationship with God. That relationship is still there when all the money is gone, and all the work is a memory.

LORD, make us people of goodness and joy.

[1] Galatians 5:22-23.

Posted in goodness, joy, judgment, relationship with God, Solomon | Tagged | Leave a comment

the illusion of permanence

Posted on January 3, 2016 by Jefferson Vann

HOW BALANCED IS YOUR LIFE?

January 2016 (3)Ecclesiastes 3:9-11

9 What payoff does the worker get from his work? 10 I have seen the responsibility that God has given to the children of Adam to be busy with. 11 He has made everything appropriate in its time. Also, he has put a desire for permanence into man’s heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end.

the illusion of permanence

Popular religious talkers often quote this passage entirely outside its context. They talk about heaven being everyone’s goal because God has placed it subliminally as a target in our hearts. But we have already seen that Solomon’s point was not that we are all longing for heaven. His point was that we are all frustrated that life on earth does not last. What God has placed in our hearts is a desire for our lives to last. The illusion of permanence drives us to work harder and longer. Solomon has been there. Now he urges the next generation – not to stop working, but to live balanced lives, because permanence this side of the resurrection is an illusion.

LORD, give us the wisdom to work, pray and love with a balanced perspective – one that recognizes our present status as impermanent creatures.

Posted in balance, dependence upon God, mortality, Solomon | Tagged | Leave a comment

what time is it?

Posted on January 2, 2016 by Jefferson Vann

TODAY’S PRAYER CHALLENGE

January 2016 (2)Ecclesiastes 3:5-8

5 a time to fling away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to abstain from embracing; 6 a time to pursue, and a time to destroy; a time to keep, and a time to throw away; 7 a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to be quiet, and a time to speak; 8 a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace.

what time is it?

The negative moments make us long for a time when God will restore his creation to his intended perfection and permanence. But the positive moments… Remember that they come as well. Take advantage of your cues from God today to be fully active in worship. Nothing happens by accident. The people you meet, the projects you will work on, everything you see – they are all messages from the LORD. They are reminders that he is there. Every time you experience peace, pleasure, contentment or joy – stop today and give him thanks. You will find that he is much more present in your life than you thought.

LORD, open our eyes today to the times of blessing when you remind us of your presence.

Posted in contentment, discernment, joy, prayer, presence of God | Tagged | Leave a comment

our time DNA

Posted on January 1, 2016 by Jefferson Vann

OUR MOMENTS OF RESPONSE ARE ENCODED WITHIN US.

January 2016 (1)Ecclesiastes 3:1-4

1 For everything a moment exists, and a time for every pleasure under the sky: 2 a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pull up what is planted; 3 a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break through, and a time to build up; 4 a time to cry, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;

our time DNA

Solomon is not so much talking about how the world is designed as he is talking about how we are designed. In us there is an inbuilt understanding that at certain times we feel like planting, at others we feel like uprooting what is planted. It is in our DNA to mourn a tragic loss, or to dance when overwhelmed by joy. Our moments of response are encoded within us.

The reason Solomon brings this observation up is that he is going to argue that this same God has “put a desire for permanence”[1] into that time DNA. The negative moments make us long for a time when God will restore his creation to his intended perfection and permanence. Our suffering is a reaction to the adversity we suffer, but it is more than that. It is a kind of envy of our future selves.

Solomon is not saying that we should stoically accept all suffering because there is a place for it. Nor is he saying that all suffering is payment for our sins in a past life. He is saying that suffering is part of reality as it is now. In this fallen, broken world, suffering is part of the mix. Rejoice when you can, trust God when you cannot.

LORD, thank you for the times of dancing, and for your presence with us in the times of mourning. Thank you for the hope of permanence that you have built into our DNA. We long for the fulfilment of that promise.

[1] Ecclesiastes 3:11.

Posted in change, discernment, Solomon, suffering, trust | Tagged | Leave a comment

confession of a workaholic

Posted on December 31, 2015 by Jefferson Vann

USE THE NEW YEAR WISELY

December 2015 (31)Ecclesiastes 2:24-26

24 There is something missing in a man who just eats and drinks and finds enjoyment in his work. This reality also, I saw, is from the hand of God, 25 because, apart from him who can eat or who can have pleasure? 26 Because to the one who pleases him God has given wisdom and knowledge and joy, but to the sinner he has given the business of gathering and collecting, only to give to one who pleases God. This also is transient and a striving after wind.

confession of a workaholic

As this year comes to an end, it is quite appropriate that we find ourselves at this place in the scripture. This is Solomon’s confession. It is the confession of a workaholic. He looks back on a life of busy collecting. He collected stuff, and people, and projects and accomplishments. But he had missed out on the wisdom and knowledge and joy he could have had because he had not sought to please God first of all. So, he is struck by the impermanence of all his accomplishments.

Do not let this happen to you. Make the new year count. Do not simply try to build more, buy more, learn more, and enjoy more next year. Seek God’s dominion of your life in the coming year. Redirect your time. In the end, you will not regret it.

LORD, if you give us another year, give us the wisdom to spend it getting to know you better, and serving you more consistently.

Posted in confession, discernment, discipleship, kingdom of God, Solomon | Tagged | Leave a comment

deflated

Posted on December 30, 2015 by Jefferson Vann

IS RETIREMENT YOUR DREAM, OR YOUR NIGHTMARE?

December 2015 (30)Ecclesiastes 2:20-23

20 So I turned completely around and gave my heart up to discouragement over all the work of my projects under the sun, 21 because when a man who has worked with wisdom and knowledge and skill must leave everything to be enjoyed by someone who did not work for it. This also is transient and a great evil. 22 What does a man get from all the work and heart striving with which he works beneath the sun? 23 Because all his days are full of disappointment, and his work is an aggravation. Even in the night his heart cannot rest. Even this will not last.

deflated

Solomon had a crisis of confidence. That confident ambition which had driven him all his life to become the greatest with the most – suddenly did a 180° turn. He had spent his life working at a legacy, only to realize that it would be lost in time. He looked at his children, and did not see the drive in them which had been his heartbeat. It was as if the work projects themselves were his children, and he was going to leave them as orphans. It left him bitter and disillusioned – his greatness suddenly deflated.

But in the midst of that great regret, God was doing his miraculous work. Solomon would have a lasting legacy after all, and many would benefit from it. His legacy is found within the pages of the three books attributed to him in scripture. His words help people to get a grasp on reality instead of walking in the darkness of self-delusion.

LORD, deflate our prideful, empty hopes, fill us with the desire to walk with you, and build your kingdom, not our own.

Posted in change, future, pride, scriptures, Solomon | Tagged | Leave a comment

I hate this job

Posted on December 29, 2015 by Jefferson Vann

HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT YOUR WORK TODAY?

December 2015 (29)Ecclesiastes 2:17-19

17 So I hated life, because the work which is done under the sun was intolerable to me, because everything is transient and a striving after wind. 18 I hated all my projects which I worked on under the sun, because I saw that I have to leave it to the man who will come after me, 19 and who knows whether he will turn out a wise man or a fool? Yet he will have control over everything for which I worked and used my wisdom under the sun. Even this will not last.

I hate this job

Normally, Solomon was not one of those who went to work every day grudgingly, always looking forward to the weekend. No, he was so driven that he could not wait to try the next project, to acquire the next resource. But as he got older, a funny thing happened. He came to that perspective that he states here in Ecclesiastes – the perspective that sees how transient all effort and all life is. He came to realize that he would not enjoy his legacy forever, because he would die, and it would go to someone else. He stopped dreaming of the next task and started having nightmares about everything crumbling to dust all around him.

Some days I am there. I have one of the best jobs on the planet, but some days I am tempted to pack up. Still, I think it is healthy to know how insignificant you are in the grand scheme of things. Without that perspective, pride can easily beset a person. And we all know where that leads.

LORD, thank you for the perspective on work that keeps us looking to you for ultimate fulfilment.

Posted in ambition, discernment, future, Solomon | Tagged | Leave a comment