Ecclesiastes 3:1-15 KJV
[1] … To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: [2] A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; [3] A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; [4] A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; [5] A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; [6] A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; [7] A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; [8] A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.
That verse could describe any 24 hour news report. Every day people are celebrating life… and dealing with death. They’re sowing and reaping, their killing and healing, building and tearing down. Some of that is metaphorical and some of it is real, but all of it can cause anyone of us to be on the brink of a nervous breakdown if we don’t keep life in perspective.
Where’s the Profit
[9] What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboureth?
I asked myself that both of of the financial efforts of my pursuits and the spiritual efforts of my pursuits. Is there profit in what I do for myself or others? Am I making a difference? The writer of Ecclesiastes is Solomon. The wisest man who every lived and yet his stupidity as a man defied the logic of anyone sane. What could be the gain (other than the obvious) of having 1,000 women in your life? Is one not sufficient? Sometimes one is too much – speaking as someone who is too much for my husband at times. But take women out of the equation and add your vice… Is ten cars too many? Is three jobs too much? Is 14 dresses too many to buy in one shopping trip? Are 10 pair of cowboy boots too many? Wait a minute… that’ can’t possibly be the case, I’m in Gatlinburg… and I’m planning on looking at the boot store.
The point of all that nonsense is the question, “can we buy, build or break the bank into real prosperity?” You know… the kind that brings happiness. The answer of course is no. So where’s the purpose in what we do every day?
There’s Profit in Problems
[10] I have seen the travail, which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised in it.
I have a grandson who is striving to build body strength through weight lifting. He works hard to take his little boy framework into a manly size status. And it pays off. But there are days between his weight lifting and football practice that he comes to my house and collapses in exhaustion. You’d think that he’d be ready to quit, but it drives him all the more to wear himself out.
The same is true when it comes to striving for a the Kingdom of God. A week of revival, a busy week at home or work and then fitting Bible Study, Sunday School, Morning Worship, Sunday Evening, Wednesday Night and daily devotions into life will cause some to give up but it will drive others to making a greater commitment to making it happen. Because it profits the soul in a way that is priceless. I know that as this world get’s crazier and crazier, I can make sense of it all with the help of staying in a church that preaches the gospel of Christ as well as end time living.
Solomon made many mistakes, but when he was at his finest was when he was in tune with God and speaking to Him about every decision. I too speak to God about every decision… “God, should I eat this candy bar? No? Will You forgive me I do? Yes. Okay… let’s go with that.” What can I say, I’m no Solomon. The point is… we need an open dialogue with God so that when problems come, and they will, He helps us work through them, and strengthen our faith. We’re not getting out of this world without trouble. But we can survive it much better with the wisdom of God which comes from studying on our own, attending church bible study to learn to divide the word correctly, and receiving a sermon to encourage our souls.
There’s Profit in Precepts
Precept (A general rule intended to regulate behavior or thought)
[11] He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.
Understanding that there are some things you were never meant to understand, is key to living in subjection to God’s designs. I don’t have to know how God created the earth to enjoy it. Nor do I have to know why God created me with a mind that works the way it does. I’m creative and driven, often to the point of driving everyone around me crazy because when God formed me He placed within a desire to serve Him and know Him. When I work outside that realm my puzzle pieces do not fit. I would love, love, love to an organized emboldened person of wisdom. But instead I’m a cluttered, passionate person who struggles with the complexity of the world, but God has gifted me the ability to write and speak in a relatable manner with people of all levels of intelligence. the profit from that precept is that God keeps me humble which makes me a better vessel for service. It is not however always fun.
There’s Profit in the Promise
[12] I know that there is no good in them, but for a man to rejoice, and to do good in his life. [13] And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labour, it is the gift of God. [14] I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before him.
When understanding human nature, we could stop with the first part of verse 12. “I know that there is no good in them.” It’s true. When it comes to mankind, there is so much evil within each one of us that it’s hard to believe God’s grace will cover it up. But it does. And He goes on to say that in everything thing we do, it’s a gift of God. Everything? That’s everything that God’s apart of. He’s not a part of the a bank robber. But He may be a part of the Bank robber who gets saved and uses his testimony to draw others to Christ. But what about the every day ordinary people who just want to make it through the next ten minutes without cussing. How can that be considered a gift of God?
It makes us relatable. There’s way more people who cuss than rob banks. But God puts them all on a level playing field and tells them that He is capturing their lives and He promises to reward them for all they’ve done in His name. And He promises to forgive them for everything they did against His name. And when all our lives are over, it will still be written down in Heaven, for ever. It is there that there will be no more struggles in life. Just peace. The very thing we all search for is waiting for us, we just having to keep moving forward in this life.
So for today. Just go! Go forth doing your thing… but always keep in mind… is God glorified?