September 2
Ecc 1:1-3:22 | PS 46:1-11 | Prov 22:15 | 2 Cor 6:1-13
This is our tenth year going through the Bible as a group in the One Year Bible Challenge. Many will complain to me that they simply can't do this much reading every day (generally around 20 minutes per day). We vary the reading plan every 1-2 years. What is interesting about this lack of time to read the Bible, is not that one lacks the time, but it is a matter of priorities. One must ask themselves when they place their items on a list that no one sees (not the list that you want to illustrate to others how hard your days are), where do things really fall on this list. Men have no problem quoting the batting averages of their favorite baseball team. Many have no problem giving all the teams facing one another in football season. Many talk of their time golfing and how their game is improving. The list is the same for women, just different priorities. If one were truly honest, it is not that one does not have time to read the Bible, it just is below many other items which they would never want to state out loud, but they prioritize other things above getting closer to God, over engaging God.
Towards the end of King Solomon's life, this king who was wiser than everyone, had amassed everything humanly possible in terms of knowledge, riches, luxuries, women, etc. writes this rather cynical book on how meaningless or vain all these pursuits amount to. It would be worth noting since he fulfilled the epitome of earthly pursuits and we read his conclusion in Ecclesiastes 1:2, "“Everything is meaningless,” says the Teacher, “completely meaningless!" He goes on in 1:8, "Everything is wearisome beyond description. No matter how much we see, we are never satisfied. No matter how much we hear, we are not content." He pursued knowledge, but concludes in 1:17, "So I set out to learn everything from wisdom to madness and folly. But I learned firsthand that pursuing all this is like chasing the wind." So, he tried his next thing, which we read about in 2:1, "I said to myself, “Come on, let’s try pleasure. Let’s look for the ‘good things’ in life.” But I found that this, too, was meaningless." He then goes on to describe the meaninglessness behind acquiring wealth, things and buildings in 2:4-8.
In contrast to this, we read of one full of joy yet having very little, as we read of Paul's life in 2 Corinthians 6:5-7, "We have been beaten, been put in prison, faced angry mobs, worked to exhaustion, endured sleepless nights, and gone without food. We prove ourselves by our purity, our understanding, our patience, our kindness, by the Holy Spirit within us, and by our sincere love. We faithfully preach the truth. God’s power is working in us. We use the weapons of righteousness in the right hand for attack and the left hand for defense." Yet, we see Paul's conclusion in 6:10, "Our hearts ache, but we always have joy. We are poor, but we give spiritual riches to others. We own nothing, and yet we have everything." So, we must all decide which path we choose. Solomon possessed materially everything possible, yet really had nothing desirable. Paul possessed nothing, but had joy and a fulfilled life. We are making these decisions daily. Please don't talk about the busyness of your jobs, your children, etc. We all make choices, we all prioritize. Make God your priority. Get into His Word. Ministries are good, His Word is better. There are no shortcuts to a real relationship with God. We get to communicate with God through His Word and through prayer, both are necessary. Please don't push God out of your life for so many things which are vain or meaningless in the big picture.
Messages from Pastor Lloyd Pulley: