The conclusion of the matter

The conclusion of the matter

Scripture:- Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. Ecclesiastes 12:13

Observation:- At the end of Ecclesiastes, this is the final thought and conclusion that King Solomon leaves with us. There is no point in doing anything else really except for 2 things:- Fear God and keep his commandments. This is the whole duty, the whole purpose of man and only in doing these will we be content and fulfill our purpose in life.

What does “fear God” mean? God is a God of love, who loves to gather us like a hen gathers her chicks, like a shepherd gathers his lambs. In another place, Paul writes “In perfect love, there is no fear”. Jesus also said freely “Come to Me”. Even little children came to Jesus without fear. Where then is the place of fear?

As I thought about it, I realized that of course, there is a place for love, and freely coming to God and enjoying His presence and His kindness. However, there is also a dark side to each one of us as human beings, a compulsion to sin, a desire not to walk by the Spirit but to walk by the pleasures of the flesh which we know are wrong but still desire to do. It is in that place, that the fear of God protects us and keeps us from following the wrong paths. Men without fear of God engage liberally in as many sins as they want.

The fear of God also keeps us from thinking too highly of ourselves. Job, who had felt he had been righteous enough in the sight of God was humbled and fell down in repentance when confronted by the holiness and power of God. Therefore, we need to keep the fear of God with us as a base to keep us from sin, and thinking too highly of ourselves. Nevertheless, we should not live moment to moment thinking that there is an angry God waiting to punish us which is not a true reflection at all of who God is. God is holy, yet God is loving. We need to fear Him yet love Him and draw close to Him. As we get to know Him deeper and deeper, we begin to fear less and less, but love more and more, but we should never lose our reverence and awareness of the great glory and holiness of God.

The second thing we must do is to keep God’s commandments. The people of Israel tried and failed to keep God’s commandments. It is impossible for us to keep the whole law and even when we break one commandment, we break the whole law. How then can we really, perfectly keep God’s commandments in our human weakness?

Under the new covenant of grace, Jesus has justified us by His righteousness and given us the Holy Spirit to help us live according to God’s ways. When we walk in the Spirit, we will exhibit the fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Hence, we should seek the Holy Spirit every day and seek to live by Him and we will automatically keep God’s commandments.

Application: Carry the fear of God with us to turn us away from sin. Love God dearly and deeply, but also revere His holiness. Obey His commandments not by our own strength but depend on His Holy Spirit, and seek to live being constantly guided by the Holy Spirit whom Jesus gives us.

Prayer: O Lord, let me always fear and revere Your holiness yet also draw near to You in love and know You more and more. Help me seek Your Spirit that I may obey Your commandments and please You in what I do. Thank You, Lord. In Jesus name, Amen.

Cast they bread upon the waters

Cast they bread upon the waters

Scripture:- Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days. Give a portion to seven, and also to eight; for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth. If the clouds be full of rain, they empty themselves upon the earth: and if the tree fall toward the south, or toward the north, in the place where the tree falleth, there it shall be. Ecclesiastes 11:1-3

Observation:- In this portion of Ecclesiastes, we see a curious series of sayings. The first part exhorts us to cast our bread on water as we will find it again after many days. What happens when we throw bread on water? The bread may float for a while, but fish of the sea or birds of the air will quickly come and feast on the bread. However, Solomon writes that after many days, bread will come back to us again. What does this mean? Won’t the bread be gone forever? However, when we look deeper, there is an underlying principle that whatever we give away to the poor will come back to us again. Later Paul taught the same “Whosoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly and whosoever sows generously will also reap generously”. When we give generously to others out of a heart of compassion, God has written a law in nature, that we will also be blessed back. The Psalmist writes “Blessed is he who has regard for the weak, the Lord delivers him in times of trouble” and the Proverbs say “but he that hath mercy on the poor, happy is he” and “he that hath pity on the poor lends to the Lord”. Interestingly, even financial guru Robert Kiyosaki believes in the principle of the blessings associated with giving and encourages his readers to give to the poor. The blessings could very well be financial, but more importantly in other areas such as health, spiritual maturity and peace.

The second proverb exhorts us to give a portion to seven or eight, not knowing what may befall us in the future. This brings to mind Jesus’ teaching on the parable of the shrewd manager which teaches us to use our worldly wealth to gain friends for ourselves. The general teaching is the same, to be generous and help others whenever we can, as we never know when we might need help in return.

The final part gives us a picture of clouds full of rain and a falling tree. The clouds of full of rain speak of the blessings that we store up as we do good and help others. It may take some time, but eventually, the clouds will pour forth rains of blessings upon us. The direction of the falling tree also has the same meaning. If we persistently do good and give to others, our deeds will fall towards blessing, but if we do otherwise, the consequence is also likewise opposite.

Some people may point to ill that befalls good people and blessings that befalls bad people. However, like the rain in the clouds, the blessings will come to those who do good, if not in this life, then in the life to come, and the same is true vice versa.

Application: We should therefore strive to give generously and help those who are in need for this stores up blessings for us in God’s eyes. In regard to salvation, there is nothing we can or cannot do to earn it but it is only faith in Jesus Christ that can save us. However, when we base our actions and deeds in faith and belief in the Bible, we will be blessed.

Prayer: Lord, help me have faith and be generous to others just as You are so generous to me. Let my ways be helpful and giving, that I may be a good testimon

Cast they bread upon the waters

Scripture:- Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days. Give a portion to seven, and also to eight; for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth. If the clouds be full of rain, they empty themselves upon the earth: and if the tree fall toward the south, or toward the north, in the place where the tree falleth, there it shall be. Ecclesiastes 11:1-3

Observation:- In this portion of Ecclesiastes, we see a curious series of sayings. The first part exhorts us to cast our bread on water as we will find it again after many days. What happens when we throw bread on water? The bread may float for a while, but fish of the sea or birds of the air will quickly come and feast on the bread. However, Solomon writes that after many days, bread will come back to us again. What does this mean? Won’t the bread be gone forever? However, when we look deeper, there is an underlying principle that whatever we give away to the poor will come back to us again. Later Paul taught the same “Whosoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly and whosoever sows generously will also reap generously”. When we give generously to others out of a heart of compassion, God has written a law in nature, that we will also be blessed back. The Psalmist writes “Blessed is he who has regard for the weak, the Lord delivers him in times of trouble” and the Proverbs say “but he that hath mercy on the poor, happy is he” and “he that hath pity on the poor lends to the Lord”. Interestingly, even financial guru Robert Kiyosaki believes in the principle of the blessings associated with giving and encourages his readers to give to the poor. The blessings could very well be financial, but more importantly in other areas such as health, spiritual maturity and peace.

The second proverb exhorts us to give a portion to seven or eight, not knowing what may befall us in the future. This brings to mind Jesus’ teaching on the parable of the shrewd manager which teaches us to use our worldly wealth to gain friends for ourselves. The general teaching is the same, to be generous and help others whenever we can, as we never know when we might need help in return.

The final part gives us a picture of clouds full of rain and a falling tree. The clouds of full of rain speak of the blessings that we store up as we do good and help others. It may take some time, but eventually, the clouds will pour forth rains of blessings upon us. The direction of the falling tree also has the same meaning. If we persistently do good and give to others, our deeds will fall towards blessing, but if we do otherwise, the consequence is also likewise opposite.

Some people may point to ill that befalls good people and blessings that befalls bad people. However, like the rain in the clouds, the blessings will come to those who do good, if not in this life, then in the life to come, and the same is true vice versa.

Application: We should therefore strive to give generously and help those who are in need for this stores up blessings for us in God’s eyes. In regard to salvation, there is nothing we can or cannot do to earn it but it is only faith in Jesus Christ that can save us. However, when we base our actions and deeds in faith and belief in the Bible, we will be blessed.

Prayer: Lord, help me have faith and be generous to others just as You are so generous to me. Let my ways be helpful and giving, that I may be a good testimony and glorify Your name. In Jesus name, Amen.

y and glorify Your name. In Jesus name, Amen.

If the iron be blunt

If the iron be blunt

Scripture: If the iron be blunt, and he do not whet the edge, then must he put to more strength: but wisdom is profitable to direct. Ecclesiastes 10:10

Observation: This Scripture gives us the image of a blunt iron that has not been sharpened. As a result, the user has to put in more strength than necessary. There is a simple story I heard of two woodcutters, let’s call them Dan and Sam. The first woodcutter, Dan saw that Sam was felling more trees than him consistently everyday even though Sam was smaller than him. “Perhaps he works harder”, the Dan thought, and endeavored to work as hard as possible the next few weeks. Surprisingly, no matter how hard he tried, Dan still could not match Sam. Finally in great tiredness, he gave up, and asked Sam “I don’t understand, how can you fell more trees than me every time?”. Sam shrugged his shoulders and replied “After every few trees, I stop a while to sharpen my axe.”

The moral of the story and the proverb, is that we need to sharpen our axe regularly to remain useful and efficient. But how do we sharpen our iron? I can think of three ways.

Application:

Firstly, we should spend time with those who are good in that particular area. For example, for us to grow in the Lord, we should spend time with godly brothers and sisters we look up to. Their testimony and words will enrich us and spur us on in our Christian faith. Going for conferences or reading the books of godly men and women of God also is important. As the Proverb goes, as iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens his friend. 

Secondly, we should have an attitude that always wants to learn. This does not mean we should accept everything blindly, but to be open and assess everything, expecting to learn something always, even in unexpected places.

Finally, and most importantly, we should spend some time in prayer, and commune with Jesus and reading His Word for that will really keep us sharp and useful. The Word of God is after all sharper than any two edged sword.

Prayer:

Lord, give me a heart that yearns to learn and improve all the time that I may serve you better. Lead me to friends and leaders who will teach me and draw me closer to you. Give me a heart which loves Your Word and loves to spend time with You and hear Your voice. Bless You, Lord. In Jesus name, Amen.

Live joyfully with thy wife

Live joyfully with thy wife

Scripture: Live joyfully with the wife whom thou lovest all the days of the life of thy vanity, which he hath given thee under the sun, all the days of thy vanity: for that is thy portion in this life, and in thy labour which thou takest under the sun. Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest. Ecclesiastes 9:9-10

Observation: In these verses, King Solomon first of all exhorts men to live joyfully with their wives all the days of their lives. Secondly, whatever we do, do it with all our heart.

In examining the first part, it is curious that King Solomon who married a thousand wives should advise a man to be loyal and content with one. Amidst the throng of women that he married, it seems that King Solomon actually only loved one, perhaps the one that he wrote the Song of Songs for.

When Jesus came, the Pharisees tried to test Him, asking if it was lawful for a man to divorce his wife for every cause. Jesus replied  “Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder” Matthew 19:4. Therefore it is God’s will that husband and wife should remain loyal and committed to one another till the end as enshrined in the wedding vow.

In many homes today, it could be hard to imagine how a husband can live joyfully with his wife when there is quarreling and anger and distrust in the home. How do we live joyfully with a spouse that is not joyful towards us? The key word in the verse is “love”. The greatest love one can show is to continue to love even when that love is not returned. Joy and love put together is not a pretense that we are always happy and ignore our hurts. Instead, it is a choice to remain positive and hopeful even in the face of negativity, anger or plain passivity.

In respect of the second part, King Solomon is asking us to inculcate an attitude of excellence in whatever we have set our heart to do. It could be our regular daily work, serving in church, housework at home or taking care of our children. The message is, since life is short, and while we have breath in our mouths, be the best that we can be.

Application:- Make it a point to work towards being joyful and loving in our marriages no matter what circumstances befalls us. In whatever we do, do it will all our heart, as to the Lord.

Prayer:- Lord, give me a heart of deep joy and love that I might always appreciate and love the one you have given me for life. In whatever I do, give me a heart of excellence, to glorify Your name in all that I do. In Jesus name, Amen. 

Is Sorrow better than laughter?

Is Sorrow better than laughter?

Scripture:- Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better. The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth

Ecclesiastes 7:3-4

Observation: In this Scripture, King Solomon observes that sorrow is better than laughter, and sadness good for the heart. He goes on to say that the heart of the wise is in the house of mourning while the heart of fools in the house of laughter. Another famous Proverb comes to mind that seems to contradict this verse at first glance– A merry heart doeth good like a medicine. However, upon deeper reflection, we need to realize that there is a time for everything, a time to mourn and a time to laugh. It is true in general that we should have a happy heart, and laugh easily, and this is good for our health. Nevertheless, there are many times when we need to mourn and it is inappropriate for us to laugh.

In the Beatitudes, Jesus said “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven, and blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” If the sinner does not realize his own sorry state and lack of hope, he will never be any closer to salvation, but when he realizes he is lost in his sin and needs a Savior, he is on the threshold of being saved. That’s why the tax collector who beat his chest and exclaimed to God “Have mercy on me a sinner” went home justified before God rather than the Pharisee who thought highly of himself and scorned others.

Likewise, Jesus too mourned and wept at times – when Lazarus died, in the Garden of Gethsemane, and even as He foresaw the future that beheld Jerusalem. I often wondered why Jesus wept when He knew that Lazarus would be raised back to life again. I believe Jesus wept because He felt the pain and sorrow that Mary and Martha were experiencing, and He too feels our pains and sorrows.

At the same time, Jesus was a man of great humor, as could be seen in His parables, and I’m sure He loved to laugh with the little children. Therefore, it is not wrong for us to laugh often and be merry, but to also be given to mourn and weep at times. As Paul writes, the Spirit who intercedes for us groans intensely with words that cannot be expressed. When we pray for the nation, for a family, for an individual, the Spirit may at times cause us to mourn and pray intensely as we pray in the Spirit.

In a preceding verse, Solomon also said “It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men; and the living will lay it to his heart”. At times we attend funerals, and it is good for us to take stock and remember that this is the destiny of all men one day. Hence, we should appreciate life, spend time on the things that really matter, and forgive easily, letting bygones be bygones.

Application:- Be happy usually, but at times, when we need to mourn, we should mourn. Sometimes, we have to mourn with friends who mourn. Sometimes, we need to pray intensely in sorrow for God to move. Every now and then, we need to sober ourselves and reflect on the shortness of life and set our hearts to do the right things, the things that matter, and let go of unforgiveness.

Prayer:- Lord, I thank You that You are the God of laughter, but also the God of sorrows, and You cry with us just as You laugh with us. May my heart be compassionate and given to mourn when it is time to mourn yet always have Your joy deep within my heart. Help me always be aware of the shortness of life, and lead me towards doing the right things, the things that matter, to love others and to forgive those who wronged us. May Your name be praised always. In Jesus name, Amen.

The sight of the eyes

The sight of the eyes

Scripture: Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire: this is also vanity and vexation of spirit. Ecclesiastes 6:9

Observation: In this verse, wise King Solomon says that better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire. Two images come to mind:- A man who sees clearly and a man who wanders around seeking to fulfill his desires. Most of us in the world today have that wandering desire, always seeking to earn more money, buy bigger houses, drive bigger cars, get the latest gadgets, mobile phones, entertainment systems, check out the latest place to eat. The material world wants us to be that way, always wanting more, and modern advertising has never been better at bringing out the material longings within man. John warns us “Do not love the world or the things of the world. For everything in the world, the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires will perish but the man who does God’s will lives forever.”

In the book of Revelation, Jesus exhorted the church of Laodicia “I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, and white clothes to wear, so that you may cover your shameful nakedness and salve for your eyes, so that you can see.” The church of Laodicia thought they were rich and in need of nothing. They failed to see that they had fallen out of God’s favor, that their worship was no longer meaningful to God. Spiritual eyesight is very important indeed, and helps us know the true situation of things.

Once, Elisha prayed to God for his servant “Open his eyes that he may see”, and he saw that the mountain was full of chariots of fire and horses around Elisha. Paul exhorts us “Let us fix our eyes not on what is seen which is temporary but what is unseen, which is eternal”. Spiritual eyes sees beyond the natural.

Application: We should check our eyes, and determine whether we are always constantly focused on material things. Instead, we should practice using our spiritual eyes, to begin to see what God sees.

Prayer:- Oh Lord, open my eyes that I might see. Help me learn to look not at the physical and the outward appearance, but to look deeper, at the heart. Thank You, Lord. In Jesus name, Amen.

When thou goest to the house of God

When thou goest to the house of God

Scripture:-Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they consider not that they do evil. Ecclesiastes 5:1

Observation:- In this verse, Solomon warns us to guard our steps when we go to the house of God, to be more ready to hear than to give sacrifices in vain. Fools are those who think too highly of themselves, who do not realize their own sinfulness and God’s holiness.

In church today, we often do not come with the necessary reverence. We often arrive late, and sing songs thoughtlessly. Going to church sometimes becomes like a chore, a duty that we have to get done and over with. Our world has become just too busy, too filled with different things for us to really concentrate or revere God on the day we are appointed to meet Him. More often than not, we simply go and come back without really meeting God at all.

Hence, Solomon’s words come as an important reminder to us. Before we go, stop and think, realize that we are entering the holy place and God is there, amidst those who truly worship Him. When we go to church, we must also be prepared to hear from God. There is a time to worship, a time to pray, a time to listen. Even in the midst of worshipping, God can speak to us, and through His appointed minister, there is always something that God speaks to us if we would only give ear and listen.

Singing thoughtlessly or giving tithes ungratefully is like giving the sacrifice of fools. It has no meaning. Before we even start singing, be quiet for a moment, seek the presence of God in our hearts, and then sing honestly, passionately to our Lord. If there is evil in our hearts, we need to repent. If we have not forgiven another, we must set it right and do so, or as Jesus said, our gift will not be accepted by God. The tax collector who beat his chest and asked God for mercy went home justified before God.

Application:- Revere the Lord when we go to church. Pray and be ready to listen to what God may say to us. Quiet ourselves before worship. Ask God for forgiveness and forgive others before coming to God. Throughout the service, have the attitude of seeking God’s presence always in humility.

Prayer:- Lord, give me a humble heart that honors You each time I come before You in worship at church and at home. Let my ears and heart be open so that I may hear You. Teach me to cleanse myself and forgive others that I may worship You in purity and truth. Thank You Lord for all things. In Jesus name, Amen

Two are better than one

Two are better than one

Scripture:-Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up. Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone? And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

Observation:- This Scripture from Ecclesiastes speaks of unity and teamwork, meaningful of marriage, meaningful of members of a project team, and in various circumstances. Why is two better than one? Because they have a good reward for their labor. It has been proven that two horses combined can pull far more weight than the sum of their individual efforts. In this instance, 2+2 does not equal 4 but 5 or 6! As the saying goes, the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. Quite often, even in football, we see a team of average players working well together outplay teams with brilliant individual talents but lack of teamwork. In a marriage too, it is important for husband and wife to work together towards a noble common goal and God will reward their efforts.

All of us have bad days, when something gets us down. In those days, we really need a friend to listen to us, to support us, to tell us it will be ok. Depression in loneliness can be very dangerous indeed. This also teaches us the important of being a friend, to our spouse, to our children, to our colleagues and friends.

When two lie together …. Husband and wife come to mind. The warmth is not just physical, but also spiritual. There is a warmth in knowing that the other person is near, that there is someone to turn to, someone who cares.

Finally, in any conflict, having a friend beside is an advantage, and having three makes a strong group. In a marriage, the threefold cord gives us the image of God, husband and wife, united as a team. In prayer, Jesus said “Where two or three are gathered in my name, there I am with them”. There is power when even two or three come together to pray.

Application:- In a marriage, commit to be united with your husband and wife towards common goals for the good of the family, with God in the centre always. Be a friend, support each other during bad days, enjoy each other’s care and warmth. At work, be united for the common goal of the team. Be a friend to those who may be in need or having a bad day. Care for one another. Remember the strength of a three-fold cord. Come together often to pray even with 2 or 3.

Prayer:- Lord, bless our family with unity, care and love always, even in bad times. Help us always be a friend to those who need us, and let us always put You in the Centre of our marriage, friendships and work. In Jesus name, Amen.  

Eat, drink and be merry

Eat, drink and be merry

Scripture:

There is nothing better for a man, than that he should eat and drink, and that he should make his soul enjoy good in his labour. This also I saw, that it was from the hand of God. Ecclesiastes 2:24

Observation:

There is a popular saying “Eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow we die”. Perhaps the saying was derived from Solomon’s words in Ecclesiastes here. In a way, the perception given is that men is born, lives and then dies and disappears into the dust, after experiencing only a few short years on the earth. However, when we read the whole of Scripture, we know that this life is only just the beginning, and eternity beckons us beyond this life, for better or for worse. Deep down inside, each of us can’t help but sense that there will be a judgment of our deeds one day, and that wisdom stops us from just doing whatever we want according to our whims and fancies.

Hence, the concept of eat, drink and be merry with the idea of gorging ourselves, getting drunk and indulging in revelry is not what Solomon intends. Rather, it means learning to enjoy the simple pleasure of lives – enjoying our simple food, appreciating the water that we drink, and learning to enjoy the work and responsibilities that have been given us, which we often take for granted. Instead of complaining and wishing for better pay, better benefits, better bosses, we should thank God for the work that we have, and serve to our best ability humbly. If we have the opportunity to move on to something better, do so, but in the mean time, wherever we work, we should be happy and enjoy the good in our labor as Solomon says. Likewise, in our responsibility to our families, we should learn to appreciate the chores that we have and thank God.

Application:

Learn to savor and enjoy our food and even a glass of clean water. Be thankful for the work and responsibilities that we have and serve to our best ability.

Prayer:

Thank You, Lord for the food and drink and work that I have each day. Help me appreciate with joy all You have given me and serve You humbly. In Jesus name, Amen.

All is vanity

All is vanity

Scripture:- I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit. That which is crooked cannot be made straight: and that which is wanting cannot be numbered. I communed with mine own heart, saying, Lo, I am come to great estate, and have gotten more wisdom than all they that have been before me in Jerusalem: yea, my heart had great experience of wisdom and knowledge. And I gave my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also is vexation of spirit. For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow. Ecclesiastes 1:14-18

Observation:- The Book of Ecclesiastes was written by the wisest king Israel had ever known, King Solomon. Likely written towards the end of his life, King Solomon begins to conclude that everything done under the sun is vanity. Every great work a man may do, every great achievement, every great boast - at the core of it all of it is meaningless. King Solomon had done everything – accumulated great wealth, built great, magnificent buildings, made the best and fastest ships, amassed deep wisdom and knowledge. Basically, he achieved whatever he could think of achieving and more. Yet, despite all he had, despite all he did, he concluded at the end of the day that it had no real meaning or lasting value to him.

God allowed Solomon to go through all that as an important lesson to the world – that all efforts at selfish personal gain and advancement is at the end of it, meaningless. Jesus said “Whoever finds his life will lose it, but he who loses his life for my sake will find it” Matthew 10:39 Knowing God is more important than great academic results, earning lots of money or being a famous person. It is more important than anything we could do.

Solomon gave his heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly. Perhaps he looked for meaning and salvation in wisdom, but he realized instead that in much wisdom is much grief. Why does knowledge increase sorrow? The more we know about ourselves and the shortness of our lives, the more we begin to realize the futility of man’s wild chasing of riches, achievement and fame.

David prayed in the Psalms “Teach me to number my days aright that I might gain a heart of wisdom”. Each day is precious and we must learn to appreciate it as we walk with the Lord

Application:- Watch that we don’t place too much importance on temporal things and achievements. Learn to be content and thankful day by day for the basic things that we have and appreciate them with humility

Prayer: Lord, help me realize that every endeavor under the sun is meaningless without You. Let me be happy and thankful for the things that I have each new day, and may I always hope in your grace and mercy which is new every morning. In Jesus name, Amen