Moment in the Word

Ecclesiastes 12:1  Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come and the years approach when you will say, "I find no pleasure in them." 
 
In a recent article, we addressed King Solomon's lament, "'Meaningless! Meaningless!' says the Teacher. 'Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.'" Ecclesiastes 1:2 
Left to our own devices, Solomon's words prove to be true. Lived in the wrong way, life is often meaningless. 
 
Sadly, many people fall into the trap of presumptuously mapping their own existence while hoping that God will leniently condone their spurious life choices. Using this paradigm for living, these speculators launch into uncharted water, gambling on the failsafe of an all-loving, all-merciful, all-forgiving god. But this premise is initially wrong by daring to take the lead with the mistaken expectation that the Almighty will obediently follow, validating every poor decision we make.  However, God is not a rubber stamp.  
 
Abraham Lincoln was asked if he was consoled by the notion that "God was on his side" during the American Civil War. The President answered, "Sir, my concern is not whether God is on our side; my greatest concern is to be on God's side, for God is always right." 
 
Here lies the difference between a meaningful existence and a life lived in vain.  Are we on a self-charted course, or are we obediently following God according to the whole volume of His Word... rather than randomly copying and pasting fragments of verses that mirror our philosophy of life in isolation from the rest of a Full Gospel text? A life lived in harmony with God's plan requires "all or nothing" since there are no gray areas in His will, allowing us to equivocate or cheat. 
 
Akin to Lincoln's observation, the ageless conflict between God's will and human agenda was poignantly addressed by Moses during a time of civil unrest when the people debated which way to go, "So he stood at the entrance to the camp and shouted, 'All of you who are on the LORD's side, come here and join me.'" Exodus 32:26 
 
The solution for humanity's lamentation, "Meaningless! Meaningless! Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless," rests in King Solomon's admonition, "Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come and the years approach when you will say, 'I find no pleasure in them.'" 
 
Fulfillment in life flourishes from following God rather than expecting God to follow us, "Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil." Ecclesiastes 12:13-14

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