-September 19, 2023-
Good morning, happy Tuesday,
“I know that nothing is better than for them than to rejoice and to do good in their lives, and also that every man should eat and drink and enjoy the good of all all his labor—it is the gift of God.”
(Ecclesiastes 3:12-13).
King Solomon is the Preacher and writer of the book of Ecclesiastes. He also wrote two other books: Proverbs and Song of Solomon. His main subject in Ecclesiastes is life under the sun, that it is vanity of vanities. Life without Christ is barren, fruitless, unsatisfying, unfulfilling, and empty. Nothing in this world can fill the void in the human heart except the Lord.
The Preacher has advice for all believers on how we can find true satisfaction this side of heaven. It is not in pleasure, riches, honors, achievements, or any earthly things. It is in Him. There are five things we are urged to do: rejoice, do good, eat, drink, and enjoy the good of our labor.
• Rejoice – Rejoicing in the Lord is a blessing in our lives. Happiness is based on our experiences and circumstances, but joy is based on our relationship with Christ. Joy wells up inside of us and then is reflected on our faces and in our lives. Our dear brother Allan gave us a wonderful message on joy this past Sunday. The joy of the Lord is our strength.
•. Do good – We are not saved by good works, we are saved for good works. Paul told us in Ephesians 2:11, “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” Doing good for others is good to the Lord.
•. Eat and drink – Eating and drinking always go together. We need both of them to live and survive. All things come from the Lord and a blessing, as long as we realize their source and that they are a gift from God. In 1 Corinthians 10:31 it says, “Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”
•. Enjoy the good of all your labor – There is a certain enjoyment in labor, both in our jobs and in the Lord’s work. We read in 1 Corinthians 15:58, “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.”
All these things are a gift from God. James wrote, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning” (James 1:17). Have a blessed day living the life that God has given us for His glory. Stay safe and healthy.
Let us use the gifts to bless the Giver, for His blessings last forever,
Dean
Dean Allen's Daily Devotional 