“‘Meaningless! Meaningless!’ says the Teacher. ‘Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.’ What does man gain from all his labour at which he toils under the sun?” Ecclesiastes 1:2-3
Let me say upfront that Ecclesiastes is not my favourite book of the Bible. Yet it is there for a reason: it shows us the conclusion we come to if we ignore the fact that life goes on into eternity after we die.
If this life is all there is, then yes, life is meaningless and unfair. Solomon writes in this book about his pursuits of wisdom (1:12ff), pleasure (2:1-11), working (2:17ff), etc. and found that none of them endure after one dies. If a man builds a great business and makes lots of money, it goes as an inheritance to a child who may squander it all. What does it matter, Solomon argues, if a person is wise or foolish, righteous or unrighteous? Everyone dies in the end.
But here is where we need to have the right perspective. It does matter what we do in this life. One day there will be a judgement seat, and every person whose sins have not been judged at the cross of Jesus Christ, will have to stand before God and be judged. Murderers who got away with their crimes will not be able to escape this time. And for those of us who are in Christ, we will be rewarded for our work.
So next time you’re feeling like life is meaningless, take a step back and look at things from an eternal perspective.
Monday, February 28, 2011
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Saying thank you
“One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked Him – and he was a Samaritan. Jesus asked, ‘Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine?’” Luke 17:15-17
The account of the healing of the ten lepers is only given in Luke’s gospel. Jesus healed many lepers, and there was provision in the Law spelling out how they were to be cleansed by the priest, but in the entire Old Testament this lay dormant (the only leper healed in the Old Testament was Naaman, who was a Gentile; see 2 Kin. 5 and Luke 4:27). Leprosy is a symbol of sin: it numbs the nerves to its condition and eventually takes over the whole body. So it is most fitting that only Jesus was able to cleanse it.
You’d think that if you had been healed from an incurable disease, you would say thank you. Yet only one of the ten lepers bothered to do so, and he was not a full Jew but a Samaritan.
God expects to get the credit when He does something miraculous, but He doesn’t demand it. He appreciates it when we say ‘thank You’ and acknowledge His hand working in the situation. Let us not be people who neglect to thank God for what He does and what He has done in our lives.
The account of the healing of the ten lepers is only given in Luke’s gospel. Jesus healed many lepers, and there was provision in the Law spelling out how they were to be cleansed by the priest, but in the entire Old Testament this lay dormant (the only leper healed in the Old Testament was Naaman, who was a Gentile; see 2 Kin. 5 and Luke 4:27). Leprosy is a symbol of sin: it numbs the nerves to its condition and eventually takes over the whole body. So it is most fitting that only Jesus was able to cleanse it.
You’d think that if you had been healed from an incurable disease, you would say thank you. Yet only one of the ten lepers bothered to do so, and he was not a full Jew but a Samaritan.
God expects to get the credit when He does something miraculous, but He doesn’t demand it. He appreciates it when we say ‘thank You’ and acknowledge His hand working in the situation. Let us not be people who neglect to thank God for what He does and what He has done in our lives.
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Controlling your anger
“A fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise man keeps himself under control.” Proverbs 29:11
It’s not wrong to be angry. Jesus got angry with how obtuse the Pharisees were towards the things of God, and with those who were seeking to make a profit off people who simply wanted to worship God by selling things in the temple. So the sin is not in being angry. Rather, it’s what we do when we are angry, that can be sin – if we are angry for the wrong reason, or if we let it get out of control. Another point to note is that Jesus was never angry about what people did to or said about Him. He was only angry when people were being hindered from coming to God.
In the New Testament, we read, “My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires” (Jas. 1:19-20). There is such a thing as righteous anger, which Jesus displayed, but when we get angry it can seldom be called ‘righteous anger’.
Every day, there will be something or someone that winds us up and gives us opportunity to vent our anger. But the wise thing to do is control it.
It’s not wrong to be angry. Jesus got angry with how obtuse the Pharisees were towards the things of God, and with those who were seeking to make a profit off people who simply wanted to worship God by selling things in the temple. So the sin is not in being angry. Rather, it’s what we do when we are angry, that can be sin – if we are angry for the wrong reason, or if we let it get out of control. Another point to note is that Jesus was never angry about what people did to or said about Him. He was only angry when people were being hindered from coming to God.
In the New Testament, we read, “My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires” (Jas. 1:19-20). There is such a thing as righteous anger, which Jesus displayed, but when we get angry it can seldom be called ‘righteous anger’.
Every day, there will be something or someone that winds us up and gives us opportunity to vent our anger. But the wise thing to do is control it.
Friday, February 25, 2011
Heart attitude
“The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.” Psalm 51:17
God hasn’t changed from the Old Testament to the New. While He instituted the Old Testament sacrifices, these were as symbols and not because the blood of animals could actually cleanse anyone’s sin (Heb. 10:4). They were symbols of Christ who was to come, and also a visual reminder to the people how serious God takes sin: that it requires the shedding of blood (Heb. 9:22).
However, over time many people became callous to these things, the Pharisees being the prime example of those who prided themselves in keeping the ceremonial law down to a T, yet missed the whole point (Matt. 15:2-6, Matt. 23). They continued in sin, thinking, ‘Oh, I can just go to the temple and make an offering,’ without making any change in their heart or repenting. Jesus told the story of a Pharisee and a tax-collector (Luke 18:9-14), where the tax-collector received forgiveness because he repented, but the Pharisee did not.
Sadly, it is the same today in the body of Christ. God requires a change in our heart attitude towards repentance, not an outward action. No matter how many things we do, if we don’t repent in our hearts, it gains us nothing (see 1 Cor. 13:3). But if we do repent, God will forgive us every time (1 John 1:9). He will not despise us when our heart is broken over our sin.
God hasn’t changed from the Old Testament to the New. While He instituted the Old Testament sacrifices, these were as symbols and not because the blood of animals could actually cleanse anyone’s sin (Heb. 10:4). They were symbols of Christ who was to come, and also a visual reminder to the people how serious God takes sin: that it requires the shedding of blood (Heb. 9:22).
However, over time many people became callous to these things, the Pharisees being the prime example of those who prided themselves in keeping the ceremonial law down to a T, yet missed the whole point (Matt. 15:2-6, Matt. 23). They continued in sin, thinking, ‘Oh, I can just go to the temple and make an offering,’ without making any change in their heart or repenting. Jesus told the story of a Pharisee and a tax-collector (Luke 18:9-14), where the tax-collector received forgiveness because he repented, but the Pharisee did not.
Sadly, it is the same today in the body of Christ. God requires a change in our heart attitude towards repentance, not an outward action. No matter how many things we do, if we don’t repent in our hearts, it gains us nothing (see 1 Cor. 13:3). But if we do repent, God will forgive us every time (1 John 1:9). He will not despise us when our heart is broken over our sin.
Thursday, February 24, 2011
David's sin
“Against You, You only have I sinned and done what is evil in Your sight, so that You are proved right when You speak and justified when You judge.” Psalm 51:4
This is an interesting verse. Psalm 51, as we know, is David’s psalm of repentance after he had committed adultery with Bathsheba and arranged for her husband Uriah to be killed, and had been confronted about it by the prophet Nathan (2 Sam. 11-12). But when it comes to acknowledging his sin, David says to God, “Against You, You only have I sinned”.
David realised that his sin was not just against Bathsheba, and it was not just against Uriah. But he had sinned against God – breaking two of the Ten Commandments (adultery and murder) – and he had forsaken Him in his position of king, being God’s instrument to lead the nation of Israel, a witness to the people.
The same is true when we sin against someone. Ultimately we are sinning against God. We need to repent and seek forgiveness both from God and from the other person. And like David, we may have to live with the consequences of that sin (although God is able to lessen their effect if we repent). When we realise just how bad our sin is in God’s sight, that is the driving force that leads us to repentance.
This is an interesting verse. Psalm 51, as we know, is David’s psalm of repentance after he had committed adultery with Bathsheba and arranged for her husband Uriah to be killed, and had been confronted about it by the prophet Nathan (2 Sam. 11-12). But when it comes to acknowledging his sin, David says to God, “Against You, You only have I sinned”.
David realised that his sin was not just against Bathsheba, and it was not just against Uriah. But he had sinned against God – breaking two of the Ten Commandments (adultery and murder) – and he had forsaken Him in his position of king, being God’s instrument to lead the nation of Israel, a witness to the people.
The same is true when we sin against someone. Ultimately we are sinning against God. We need to repent and seek forgiveness both from God and from the other person. And like David, we may have to live with the consequences of that sin (although God is able to lessen their effect if we repent). When we realise just how bad our sin is in God’s sight, that is the driving force that leads us to repentance.
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Receiving praise
“The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but man is tested by the praise he receives.” Proverbs 27:21
This is an interesting proverb. How do we respond to praise? The answer says a lot about us.
Do we expect to be praised? Jesus said if we do something with the motive to be seen by other people, when they praise us we have received our reward in full (Matt. 6:1-2, 5, 16).
Do we enjoy being praised? Do we think we deserve it? Does it puff us up? These are indications that we have not completely conquered our pride.
Do we brush it off when people praise us – perhaps even coming across to them as rude?
Or do we accept praise gracefully and acknowledge God? This is what Jesus sought to do. On several occasions in the gospels, we read of how when He healed people the people were amazed and glorified God because of it (e.g. Matt. 9:8, 15:31, Mark 2:12, Luke 7:16, 13:13, 18:43).
There is nothing wrong with people thanking you for doing something, or remarking that you did a good job. A simple ‘you’re welcome’ is appropriate. Turning to them and saying, ‘I know, aren’t I great?’ is not.
This is an interesting proverb. How do we respond to praise? The answer says a lot about us.
Do we expect to be praised? Jesus said if we do something with the motive to be seen by other people, when they praise us we have received our reward in full (Matt. 6:1-2, 5, 16).
Do we enjoy being praised? Do we think we deserve it? Does it puff us up? These are indications that we have not completely conquered our pride.
Do we brush it off when people praise us – perhaps even coming across to them as rude?
Or do we accept praise gracefully and acknowledge God? This is what Jesus sought to do. On several occasions in the gospels, we read of how when He healed people the people were amazed and glorified God because of it (e.g. Matt. 9:8, 15:31, Mark 2:12, Luke 7:16, 13:13, 18:43).
There is nothing wrong with people thanking you for doing something, or remarking that you did a good job. A simple ‘you’re welcome’ is appropriate. Turning to them and saying, ‘I know, aren’t I great?’ is not.
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
To answer or not?
“Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you will be like him yourself.
“Answer a fool according to his folly, or he will be wise in his own eyes.” Proverbs 26:4-5
On the surface these verses can appear confusing and contradictory. We are left asking the question, ‘So should I answer a fool according to his folly, or not?’ The answer is, it depends on the fool.
There are some people who are only ever looking for an argument or debate. They do not approach theological discussions with an open mind. Their goal is to humiliate those who believe in God, for entertainment and self-satisfaction. These are the people of whom Jesus said, “Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and then turn and tear you to pieces” (Matt. 7:6). We are not to waste our time, or the gospel truth, with these kinds of people.
Then there are other people who, while they may be misguided with regards to their views on God and spiritual things, do not have a completely closed mind. When someone says, “I don’t understand why God would allow babies to be born with severe deformities”, there may be opportunity there to help them understand. In these instances, we are to answer them using their own logic to show them their error. In the case of babies being born deformed, we can point out that deformities are a result of sin and the curse, that it is not God’s doing and that He loves that deformed baby all the same.
In the end, we need wisdom to know firstly whether to respond, and secondly how to respond.
“Answer a fool according to his folly, or he will be wise in his own eyes.” Proverbs 26:4-5
On the surface these verses can appear confusing and contradictory. We are left asking the question, ‘So should I answer a fool according to his folly, or not?’ The answer is, it depends on the fool.
There are some people who are only ever looking for an argument or debate. They do not approach theological discussions with an open mind. Their goal is to humiliate those who believe in God, for entertainment and self-satisfaction. These are the people of whom Jesus said, “Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and then turn and tear you to pieces” (Matt. 7:6). We are not to waste our time, or the gospel truth, with these kinds of people.
Then there are other people who, while they may be misguided with regards to their views on God and spiritual things, do not have a completely closed mind. When someone says, “I don’t understand why God would allow babies to be born with severe deformities”, there may be opportunity there to help them understand. In these instances, we are to answer them using their own logic to show them their error. In the case of babies being born deformed, we can point out that deformities are a result of sin and the curse, that it is not God’s doing and that He loves that deformed baby all the same.
In the end, we need wisdom to know firstly whether to respond, and secondly how to respond.
Monday, February 21, 2011
A good reputation
“A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold.” Proverbs 22:1
There are a few things in life that money can’t buy. One of them is a good reputation. A reputation is built from a life of consistency – either for good, or for bad. Someone might have a reputation as a thief, because they have a habit of stealing. Someone else might have a reputation for being honest, fair, and trustworthy, because those are the character traits that they consistently exhibit.
Reputations don’t change overnight. While sometimes people can have life-changing experiences that cause them to drastically alter their lifestyle – for example, they may be prone to driving recklessly, but when a close friend or family member dies in a car accident, they change their driving habits; or they may have a habit of partying hard and getting drunk, but after some ordeal involving a hospital stay they vow not to drink again – their reputation for being an irresponsible driver or a drunk will continue long after they have given that up. In those cases, how much better it is not to have such a negative reputation in the first place. However, if you have a bad reputation, it’s not too late to change that. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” (2 Cor. 5:17).
There are a few things in life that money can’t buy. One of them is a good reputation. A reputation is built from a life of consistency – either for good, or for bad. Someone might have a reputation as a thief, because they have a habit of stealing. Someone else might have a reputation for being honest, fair, and trustworthy, because those are the character traits that they consistently exhibit.
Reputations don’t change overnight. While sometimes people can have life-changing experiences that cause them to drastically alter their lifestyle – for example, they may be prone to driving recklessly, but when a close friend or family member dies in a car accident, they change their driving habits; or they may have a habit of partying hard and getting drunk, but after some ordeal involving a hospital stay they vow not to drink again – their reputation for being an irresponsible driver or a drunk will continue long after they have given that up. In those cases, how much better it is not to have such a negative reputation in the first place. However, if you have a bad reputation, it’s not too late to change that. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” (2 Cor. 5:17).
Sunday, February 20, 2011
God reigns
“God reigns over the nations; God is seated on His holy throne.” Psalm 47:8
There should be no doubt in anyone’s mind as to who has ultimate authority in the world. While Satan may be the prince of the world (John 12:31), God is the King. While Satan has the world in his clutches, he cannot do anything that God has not given him permission to do.
And God has established human authority in reigning over the nations. Paul wrote, “Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God” (Rom. 13:1). This was in a time when the governing authority of his time and place – the Roman empire – was actively persecuting Christians. Yet Paul says, submit to them. Some of the laws may seem stupid to us, or annoying. For instance, speed limits on roads. We might be in a hurry to get somewhere, or there might be no other cars around. But the law says you can only go so fast in this area, and if you go faster and are caught you will have to pay a fine.
However, if our government demands that we do something contrary to the Word of God – such as will happen during the Tribulation, when everyone will be forced under penalty of death to worship the Antichrist – then we do not have to submit to that law. In that case, we are to submit to God’s higher authority. There aren’t many examples of this in our western society today, however. Our governments will give account for how they ruled over their people, with the authority God gave them. If they treated their citizens well, they will be blessed; if they were oppressive, they will be judged. All the same, we are to submit (except for the case above).
There should be no doubt in anyone’s mind as to who has ultimate authority in the world. While Satan may be the prince of the world (John 12:31), God is the King. While Satan has the world in his clutches, he cannot do anything that God has not given him permission to do.
And God has established human authority in reigning over the nations. Paul wrote, “Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God” (Rom. 13:1). This was in a time when the governing authority of his time and place – the Roman empire – was actively persecuting Christians. Yet Paul says, submit to them. Some of the laws may seem stupid to us, or annoying. For instance, speed limits on roads. We might be in a hurry to get somewhere, or there might be no other cars around. But the law says you can only go so fast in this area, and if you go faster and are caught you will have to pay a fine.
However, if our government demands that we do something contrary to the Word of God – such as will happen during the Tribulation, when everyone will be forced under penalty of death to worship the Antichrist – then we do not have to submit to that law. In that case, we are to submit to God’s higher authority. There aren’t many examples of this in our western society today, however. Our governments will give account for how they ruled over their people, with the authority God gave them. If they treated their citizens well, they will be blessed; if they were oppressive, they will be judged. All the same, we are to submit (except for the case above).
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Consequences
“The wisdom of the prudent is to give thought to their ways, but the folly of fools is decption.” Proverbs 14:8
One thing we should all do more of, is thinking about the consequences of our actions or our words before we do or say them. True wisdom is not about saying profound things, but rather it’s having the sense when to speak and when to hold your tongue. The same thing goes for our actions, which, like our words, are impossible to undo. We might be able to cover them up, if we’ve done something in private, but we still know we’ve done them and that God has seen us do them.
One example about where we should think about the consequences is when we deceive people. We’ve all heard the story of the boy who cried wolf: he did so to seek attention from others, and people came to the point where they would ignore him. But on the day that there really was a wolf, they also didn’t listen to him, with tragic consequences. If we go around deceiving people, it might work in the short term and we will gain the attention we are seeking, but we will also gain a reputation of being a liar and a deceiver. Ultimately, we will lose our friends and no-one will trust us. Is it really worth it? Think about the consequences.
One thing we should all do more of, is thinking about the consequences of our actions or our words before we do or say them. True wisdom is not about saying profound things, but rather it’s having the sense when to speak and when to hold your tongue. The same thing goes for our actions, which, like our words, are impossible to undo. We might be able to cover them up, if we’ve done something in private, but we still know we’ve done them and that God has seen us do them.
One example about where we should think about the consequences is when we deceive people. We’ve all heard the story of the boy who cried wolf: he did so to seek attention from others, and people came to the point where they would ignore him. But on the day that there really was a wolf, they also didn’t listen to him, with tragic consequences. If we go around deceiving people, it might work in the short term and we will gain the attention we are seeking, but we will also gain a reputation of being a liar and a deceiver. Ultimately, we will lose our friends and no-one will trust us. Is it really worth it? Think about the consequences.
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