“If the clouds are full of rain, they empty themselves on the earth, and if a tree falls to the south or to the north, in the place where the tree falls, there it will lie. He who observes the wind will not sow, and he who regards the clouds will not reap.” Ecclesiastes 11:3,4 Are you guided by wisdom throughout your day? Has your life been marked by wisdom? Throughout life there are circumstances that cause uncertainty and doubt. Will you find guidance in wisdom? ”Light is sweet, and it is pleasant for the eyes to see the sun. So if a person lives many years, let him rejoice in them all; but let him remember that the days of darkness will be many. All that comes is vanity.” Ecclesiastes 11:7,8 Rejoice and know that wisdom governs all the days of your life. You will find joy in the lighthearted days and guidance in the days of darkness. Continue Reading…
Fear God and keep His commandments: Ecclesiastes 11 and 12
A root in the tender hands of the Gardener: Psalm 80
What image comes to mind when you think of God? Do you instinctively look upon Him as an ethereal authoritarian figure looking down upon the earth ready to cast judgement upon anyone who commits a sin? When we are face to face with the truths of scripture and our inherent failure prone nature it is easy to think that God is consistently looking upon our life to just keep us in check and cast judgement. The authoritative justice of God cannot be our solitary view of God because we need to keep, as best we can, an all encompassing view of the God. He is everything all at once and never changing. His love, kindness, grace and mercy abide harmoniously along side His anger, wrath, justice and holiness. Continue Reading…
Leadership, giving up what was never ours: Nehemiah 5 and 6
Is compassion towards other people who are going through difficult life moments easy to extend? When you have built up a reserve of wealth are you willing to give it up to help other people? In Nehemiah 5 and 6 the people who were less fortunate upon returning to Jerusalem were being taken advantage of by those who had greater amounts of money and status. Why do people prey upon the downtrodden, troubled and despairing people so that they can make money? What is to be done? Where will we look to find hope. Continue Reading…
True leadership found in a shepherd’s heart: 2 Samuel 5 and 6
How are we to view leadership? How were Saul and David as leaders over Israel? In 2 Samuel 5 David was finally anointed king over all of Israel and in 2 Samuel 5:2 the people say to David that “when Saul was king over us, you were the one who led Israel out and in. And the Lord said to you, ‘You will shepherd My people Israel, and you will be a ruler over Israel.’ ” While Saul was sitting upon the throne of Israel it was David who was among the people helping and leading them. It is amazing to think that David who was a shepherd of his fathers flocks of sheep was using the same skills as he shepherded the people of Israel. Continue Reading…
