Thursday Devotional - Chasing After the Wind of Independence (9/7/23)

We often desire independence – whether it’s a kid wanting to get dressed by themselves or a young adult wanting to live on their own. We want to be able to take care of ourselves, support ourselves, and help our children and grandchildren to do the same. Some of the desire for independence is a great motivator for working hard. However, we can think we are so self-sufficient that we forget who truly provided our skills and abilities.

It’s easy to think we accomplished our successes. It can be disheartening when those successes are fleeting and don’t end up meaning as much as we thought they would. Solomon wisely encourages us to remember God, our Creator, before we get too caught up in our independence. We are to remember Him before we “need” Him. We may think we don’t need Him when we are young and that we have everything under control, but we aren’t in control. Circumstances can change in an instant.

Ecclesiastes 12:1-7     

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”—
² before the sun and the light
    and the moon and the stars grow dark,
    and the clouds return after the rain;
³ when the keepers of the house tremble,
    and the strong men stoop,
when the grinders cease because they are few,
    and those looking through the windows grow dim;
⁴ when the doors to the street are closed
    and the sound of grinding fades;
when people rise up at the sound of birds,
    but all their songs grow faint;
⁵ when people are afraid of heights
    and of dangers in the streets;
when the almond tree blossoms
    and the grasshopper drags itself along
    and desire no longer is stirred.
Then people go to their eternal home
    and mourners go about the streets.

⁶ Remember him—before the silver cord is severed,
    and the golden bowl is broken;
before the pitcher is shattered at the spring,
    and the wheel broken at the well,
⁷ and the dust returns to the ground it came from,
    and the spirit returns to God who gave it.

In the end, all our earthly successes shrivel up (“return to the ground”). However, our soul lives forever and can have eternity with God! The troubles of this life may be overwhelming, and the fleeting successes may be disheartening, but His ways will never disappoint!

Isaiah 49:23b         Then you will know that I am the Lord; those who hope in me will not be disappointed.

I Thessalonians 4:16-18   For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. ¹⁷ After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. ¹⁸ Therefore encourage one another with these words.

Instead of focusing on meaningless independence, we can focus on meaningful dependence on God our Creator and Sustainer! His ways and His work bring lasting purpose and reward whether we are young or old!

Alice

Thursday Devotional - Chasing After Leisure before Labor (8/31/23)

Who doesn’t like a fun party or leisure activity?! Especially if it’s with people we like and enjoy. However, we can’t have a party or vacation every day. In fact, if we started every day with a party, how much work would get done? However, if we get all our work done first, then we can truly relax and enjoy a celebration.

Over the summer, the kids complained about having to get their reading, flashcards, exercise and piano practice all done first before they could watch part of a movie. In fact, sometimes they asked if they could go ahead and watch something for a little bit and then finish their tasks later. However, I knew that wouldn’t work well and they would be less motivated to complete their work after their leisure time. 

Solomon highlighted the danger of leisure before labor.  

Ecclesiastes 10:16-17  Woe to the land whose king was a servant
    and whose princes feast in the morning.
¹⁷ Blessed is the land whose king is of noble birth
    and whose princes eat at a proper time—
    for strength and not for drunkenness.

I think Solomon is talking about pleasureful feasting and celebration BEFORE the work is done. The person who became a king young or after formerly being a servant might not understand their responsibility and abuse their privilege. However, someone who learned from an early age to take their responsibility seriously, understands not every meal is a luxury. Most meals are for nourishment and not parties every day. They diligently work hard and celebrate at appropriate times.    

What about you and me? What labor project do we need to be diligent to complete, and save our leisure time until after it’s done?

Thursday Devotional - Chasing After the Wind of Tomorrow 8/24/23

 My kids want to hurry and grow up! I remember thinking the same thing as a kid – wishing I was older.

Getting ready for school to start next week, James doesn’t want anything that looks childish (backpack, lunch box, or bike helmet). He’s going into 5^th grade and thinks his backpack from kindergarten is too kid-like. 😊

Sarah said she’s never ready for school and how nice it must be that Dad and I don’t have to go to school anymore. No, but we get to go to work everyday and still learn new things! We also use much of what we learned in elementary school on a daily basis (reading, counting, telling time, writing, etc.).

As adults, sometimes we want to hurry to the next phase of life, too. We can chase after the wind of tomorrow and miss the blessings and joys of today. I think that’s what Solomon wanted to highlight in this next passage.

Ecclesiastes 11:7-10    Light is sweet,
    and it pleases the eyes to see the sun.
⁸ However many years anyone may live,
    let them enjoy them all.
But let them remember the days of darkness,
    for there will be many.
    Everything to come is meaningless.

⁹ You who are young, be happy while you are young,
    and let your heart give you joy in the days of your youth.
Follow the ways of your heart
    and whatever your eyes see,
but know that for all these things
    God will bring you into judgment.
¹⁰ So then, banish anxiety from your heart
    and cast off the troubles of your body,
    for youth and vigor are meaningless.

Where are you and I missing the blessings and joys of today by chasing after tomorrow? Maybe it’s the next promotion, the next “perfect” job, retirement, the next phase with kids, more time for a new hobby, that next trip and the list goes on. Let’s enjoy what God’s given us to do today!

Thursday Devotional - Chasing After the Wind of Strength (8/17/23)

This summer my kids took turns walking my sister’s dog with my Dad. My sister’s dog, Patty, probably weighs more than most of them! However, my Dad helped them learn how to control her, even if they aren’t stronger than her. I guess you could say they learned how to outsmart rather than overpower.

Solomon was impressed by wisdom’s power over strength.

Ecclesiastes 9:13-18    I also saw under the sun this example of wisdom that greatly impressed me: ¹⁴ There was once a small city with only a few people in it. And a powerful king came against it, surrounded it and built huge siege works against it. ¹⁵ Now there lived in that city a man poor but wise, and he saved the city by his wisdom. But nobody remembered that poor man. ¹⁶ So I said, “Wisdom is better than strength.” But the poor man’s wisdom is despised, and his words are no longer heeded.

¹⁷ The quiet words of the wise are more to be heeded
    than the shouts of a ruler of fools.
¹⁸ Wisdom is better than weapons of war,
    but one sinner destroys much good.

Strength isn’t everything. We can desire strength in order to gain power or fame, but it can crumble in an instant. Man’s wisdom can outsmart the strong, but as Solomon points out, even that can be fleeting. Seeking God’s wisdom has eternal significance, though!

James 3:17-18             But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. ¹⁸ Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.

Are you and I chasing after strength or wisdom? For what purpose and by what means? Let’s seek God’s wisdom for an eternal harvest of righteousness.

Thursday Devotional - Faithful God versus Tolerant Rehoboam 11/17/22

 Have you heard the phrase “sin of omission?” Sitting back and doing nothing can be a sin. When we know to do something and don’t do it, that’s a sin.

Rehoboam, Solomon’s son, became king of Judah and shortly after lost much of the kingdom to Jeroboam (as we saw a few weeks ago). That didn’t seem to wake him up and turn his heart fully back to God. 

I Kings 14:21-24 ²¹ Rehoboam son of Solomon was king in Judah. He was forty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city the Lord had chosen out of all the tribes of Israel in which to put his Name. His mother’s name was Naamah; she was an Ammonite.

²² Judah did evil in the eyes of the Lord. By the sins they committed they stirred up his jealous anger more than those who were before them had done. ²³ They also set up for themselves high places, sacred stones and Asherah poles on every high hill and under every spreading tree. ²⁴ There were even male shrine prostitutes in the land; the people engaged in all the detestable practices of the nations the Lord had driven out before the Israelites.

Rehoboam tolerated all the sins Judah committed. It never says he participated in idolatry, but he didn’t stop the idol worship. In the above verses it says “Judah” did evil and “they” setup high places. So, I don’t think he actively participated. When the Bible talks about the evil of other kings, it says “Solomon did evil,” “Jeroboam made two golden calves,” etc. However, Rehoboam sinned by tolerating all these detestable things the kingdom of Judah did.

What about you and me? Where are we being tolerant in our own lives, with our kids, in our churches or communities? Instead of being tolerant or permissive, where can you and I lovingly speak up for truth in our church, communities and families for the things that are right and godly?

Alice

Thursday Devotional - Faithful God versus Foolish Rehoboam 10/20/22

What do you think it would have been like to grow up with the wisest and wealthiest parent on earth?

Solomon’s son Rehoboam had the wisest and wealthiest father ever, but he didn’t seem to use that to his advantage. Soon after becoming king, he lost most of the kingdom (10 tribes) by heeding poor advice.

I Kings 12:12-15     ¹² Three days later Jeroboam and all the people returned to Rehoboam, as the king had said, “Come back to me in three days.” ¹³ The king answered the people harshly. Rejecting the advice given him by the elders, ¹⁴ he followed the advice of the young men and said, “My father made your yoke heavy; I will make it even heavier. My father scourged you with whips; I will scourge you with scorpions.” ¹⁵ So the king did not listen to the people, for this turn of events was from the Lord, to fulfill the word the Lord had spoken to Jeroboam son of Nebat through Ahijah the Shilonite.

Rehoboam foolishly listened to his peers. Israel was divided into two kingdoms after this. God was faithful to David, though, by keeping a descendent on the throne of Judah. God was also faithful to his promise to Solomon to tear the kingdom away from him and his descendants because of his sins. God is faithful, whether it’s a lavish blessing promised or a forewarned consequence.

Where might you and I be foolishly listening to peers instead of seeking and heeding God’s wisdom? We have the wisest and wealthiest Heavenly Father!

Thursday Devotional - Faithful God versus Unrepentant Solomon 10/13/22

Joe and I have prayerfully addressed some repetitive disobedience by some of our kids. The consequences get steeper subsequent times. Why? So they are motivated to stop and take time to think about the seriousness of their choices.

God’s consequences aren’t for merely punishing the sin, but are intended to draw the unrepentant to repentance.

With unrepentant Solomon, God gave him several warnings and then raised up one enemy after another to disrupt the nation’s peace, including his very own high standing official, Jeroboam!

The Lord to Jeroboam:

I Kings 11:34-36, 39          ³⁴ “‘But I will not take the whole kingdom out of Solomon’s hand; I have made him ruler all the days of his life for the sake of David my servant, whom I chose and who obeyed my commands and decrees. ³⁵ I will take the kingdom from his son’s hands and give you ten tribes. ³⁶ I will give one tribe to his son so that David my servant may always have a lamp before me in Jerusalem, the city where I chose to put my Name…  ³⁹ I will humble David’s descendants because of this, but not forever.’”

I think if Solomon had truly repented he would have been spared some of the subsequent consequences.

Where might you and I be experiencing consequences for unrepentant sin? Maybe God has allowed a lack of peace in our own lives and relationships to draw us back to Him!

God is faithful to His promises even while purposefully administering consequences.

Thursday Devotional - Faithful God versus Foolish Solomon 10/6/22

By God’s gift, Solomon was one of the wisest people to ever live! Yet, in his later years, he wasted the wisdom God gave him and foolishly turned to other influences.

I Kings 11:9-13        ⁹ The Lord became angry with Solomon because his heart had turned away from the Lord, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice. ¹⁰ Although he had forbidden Solomon to follow other gods, Solomon did not keep the Lord’s command. ¹¹ So the Lord said to Solomon, “Since this is your attitude and you have not kept my covenant and my decrees, which I commanded you, I will most certainly tear the kingdom away from you and give it to one of your subordinates. ¹² Nevertheless, for the sake of David your father, I will not do it during your lifetime. I will tear it out of the hand of your son. ¹³ Yet I will not tear the whole kingdom from him, but will give him one tribe for the sake of David my servant and for the sake of Jerusalem, which I have chosen.”

Although Solomon wasted his wisdom, God was still faithful to His promises to David and to Solomon. God gave Solomon an opportunity to repent, too. It isn’t recorded that Solomon ever repented and turned back to God. If he had, God would have faithfully forgiven him and helped him use wisdom again.

When have you and I foolishly wasted something God gave to us? Money, education, family relationships, time? How might our Faithful God help you and me to wisely use His gifts going forward?

Alice

Thursday Devotional - Faithful God versus Lustful Solomon 9/29/22

When kids don’t have enough to do, what do they do? Get in trouble!!! Apparently one of my sons didn’t have enough to do the other day, so he decided to use half the bottle of hand soap and splash it on the mirror! I was furious, especially since I had just cleaned up a glass jar of salsa that my other son dropped.

After Solomon built the magnificent temple for the Lord and then built a spectacular palace for himself, he didn’t seem to have enough to do either. He got in trouble with women.

I Kings 11:1a, 4, 9-12        King Solomon, however, loved many foreign women besides Pharaoh’s daughter… ⁴ As Solomon grew old, his wives turned his heart after other gods, and his heart was not fully devoted to the Lord his God, as the heart of David his father had been. 

⁹ The Lord became angry with Solomon because his heart had turned away from the Lord, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice. ¹⁰ Although he had forbidden Solomon to follow other gods, Solomon did not keep the Lord’s command. ¹¹ So the Lord said to Solomon, “Since this is your attitude and you have not kept my covenant and my decrees, which I commanded you, I will most certainly tear the kingdom away from you and give it to one of your subordinates. ¹² Nevertheless, for the sake of David your father, I will not do it during your lifetime. I will tear it out of the hand of your son.

It seems Solomon’s idleness led to lust which turned him away from God. God was faithful to His promises, though, and even gave Solomon an opportunity to repent.

Instead of filling our spare time with things that are dishonoring to God and destructive to ourselves, how can you and I spend it in a way that is honoring to God?  We can ask our Faithful God to help us!

Alice

Thursday Devotional - Chasing After the Wind of Knowledge

Living in a big university town, I see numerous people chasing after knowledge and education. Oftentimes it is the newest philosophy or theory. Sadly, their additional degrees and increased knowledge for knowledge sake doesn’t bring true wisdom or joy. Without God, everything is meaningless, as Solomon prefaced in Ecclesiastes 2:25 (for without him [God], who can eat or find enjoyment?).

Solomon concluded the book of Ecclesiastes with:

Ecclesiastes 12:11-14   The words of the wise are like goads, their collected sayings like firmly embedded nails—given by one shepherd. ¹² Be warned, my son, of anything in addition to them.

Of making many books there is no end, and much study wearies the body.

¹³ 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.
¹⁴ For God will bring every deed into judgment,
    including every hidden thing,
    whether it is good or evil.

Solomon was probably the wisest wealthiest person that ever lived. Because God gave Israel peace during his reign, he also had all the time and resources to chase after anything he wanted – pleasure, greatness, possessions, accumulation, flattery, immortality, perfection, knowledge, etc. Solomon realized all of this was meaningless (without God), as we’ve read in Ecclesiastes this summer.

What meaningless thing or knowledge are you and I chasing?

Following God is beneficial for all ages, all people and for all time!!! Others around us can better understand this truth as we experience and exhibit the joy and satisfaction of chasing after God and following Him in our own lives!

Alice

Thursday Devotional - Chasing After the Wind of Perfection

I am naturally a perfectionist. Because of that, I tend to wait for the perfect day or time or environment to do certain big projects. I don’t want to start something until I know I have all the time and resources to complete it and complete it perfectly.

Solomon saw a problem with this. If we always wait for that perfect day or time, certain things may never get done.

Ecclesiastes 11:4-6     

⁴ Whoever watches the wind will not plant;
    whoever looks at the clouds will not reap.

⁵ As you do not know the path of the wind,
    or how the body is formed in a mother’s womb,
so you cannot understand the work of God,
    the Maker of all things.

⁶ Sow your seed in the morning,
    and at evening let your hands not be idle,
for you do not know which will succeed,
    whether this or that,
    or whether both will do equally well.

It’s better to do what we can today with what we have (of course, while seeking and following God’s wisdom and direction). 

One of my desired home projects for the summer was to go through all the kids’ toys, throw out broken ones, donate no longer used ones, and reorganize everything. Well, it’s the end of the summer and I never had that “perfect” day to tackle it all! This past weekend, though, I started tackling the books and then Joe had an idea for the toys. It seemed overwhelming and I didn’t think we had time to finish (at least not to my standards). However, with all four of us working together, we made huge headway! It isn’t totally complete or up to my standard of perfection, but it’s way more organized than it was. We can now easily chip away at the rest.

Where else do you and I need to forgo waiting for that perfect day or time and get started on something God’s laid on our heart? We can break it down into smaller chunks, and tackle them one day or week at a time, the agile way. 😊 

Alice

Thursday Devotional - Chasing After the Wind of Talk

Talk is cheap. People can say or promise all kinds of things. It’s easy to talk big and another thing to follow through. Also, people can look good on paper, sound great in an interview, but be a big flop on the job.

Ecclesiastes 10:12-14 Words from the mouth of the wise are gracious,
    but fools are consumed by their own lips.
¹³ At the beginning their words are folly;
    at the end they are wicked madness—
¹⁴     and fools multiply words.

No one knows what is coming—
    who can tell someone else what will happen after them?

¹⁵ The toil of fools wearies them;
    they do not know the way to town.

In an outside organization, I’ve worked with someone that is a very pleasant conversationalist, has great ideas, but is now starting to sound repetitive (multiplying words, as verse 14 states). He brings up the same issues and ideas, but talks in circles about them. We, on various advisory committees, have recommended or provided assistance to help with some of the issues/ideas. However, he either doesn’t try them or doesn’t follow through to complete what was started. So, we end up talking about the same things at the next meeting, wearying us all.

Ecclesiastes 10:18       Through laziness, the rafters sag;
    because of idle hands, the house leaks.

What about you and me? Are our words folly or wearisome?

Are we busy talking rather than working?

Maybe it depends on the project, whether it’s at work, or home or church. Where do you and I need to make sure our work matches our talk?

Alice

Thursday Devotional - Chasing After the Wind of Immortality

I would guess most people like to think they are going to live forever (or at least a very long time). We don’t like to think or talk about or prepare for death, but it’s inevitable. Solomon didn’t like it either and realized all his wisdom, power and wealth couldn’t prevent it or predict it.  

Ecclesiastes 9:1-2a and 12    So I reflected on all this and concluded that the righteous and the wise and what they do are in God’s hands, but no one knows whether love or hate awaits them. ² All share a common destiny—the righteous and the wicked, the good and the bad, the clean and the unclean, those who offer sacrifices and those who do not.

¹² Moreover, no one knows when their hour will come:

As fish are caught in a cruel net,
    or birds are taken in a snare,
so people are trapped by evil times
    that fall unexpectedly upon them.

All people face death and no one knows exactly when. Our destiny is in God’s hands and His timing. We can spend lots of money to look younger or feel younger, but it won’t change the outcome. This life is temporary, whether it’s a few years or a century. Instead of chasing after immortality, let’s chase after that which is eternal.

II Corinthians 4:16-18     ¹⁶ Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. ¹⁷ For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. ¹⁸ So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

Matthew 10:28 Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.

Where are you and I focusing more on something temporal than eternal? What verses help you focus on what’s of eternal value?

Alice

Thursday Devotional - Chasing After the Wind of Explanations

Thank you to Matt Brumage and Renae Phelps for writing the last couple Thursday devotionals while I was on vacation!

Back to Ecclesiastes…

We often seek out explanations, whether it’s in the news, with our kids or our co-workers. In fact, three-year-olds are great at asking “why” about everything! I’m glad my kids aren’t in that phase anymore! They still ask “why” a lot, but not over and over.

How much do you and I ask God “why” over and over? He wants us to know Him and ask Him questions, but there are going to be things we won’t ever be able to understand this side of Heaven. Even the wisest man, Solomon, had many questions for God that he didn’t get answered.

Ecclesiastes 8:14 and 16-17    ¹⁴ There is something else meaningless that occurs on earth: the righteous who get what the wicked deserve, and the wicked who get what the righteous deserve. This too, I say, is meaningless…¹⁶ When I applied my mind to know wisdom and to observe the labor that is done on earth—people getting no sleep day or night— ¹⁷ then I saw all that God has done. No one can comprehend what goes on under the sun. Despite all their efforts to search it out, no one can discover its meaning. Even if the wise claim they know, they cannot really comprehend it.

No one can comprehend or explain all God has done. We are assured that in the end, though, it will go best for the God-fearing.

Ecclesiastes 8:12-13 ¹² Although a wicked person who commits a hundred crimes may live a long time, I know that it will go better with those who fear God, who are reverent before him. ¹³ Yet because the wicked do not fear God, it will not go well with them, and their days will not lengthen like a shadow.

We can pray and ask and study the Bible to understand what God enables us to understand. We can stop the repetitive “whys” and accept that we aren’t going to get answers for everything. God wouldn’t be God if we could fully understand Him!

Alice

Thursday Devotional - Chasing After the Wind of Flattery

I had a friend years ago that said she would rather hear what she wanted to hear, even if it wasn’t entirely true. I was shocked!!!

After thinking about what my friend said, I realized that she wasn’t any different than most people. Most people probably want to hear what they want to hear. She was at least honest about preferring flattery over the truth!

Flattery doesn’t benefit us, though. We don’t learn, grow and improve without helpful instruction and correction (like Jessica’s Monday devotional on Discipline).

Ecclesiastes 7:5-6

It is better to heed the rebuke of a wise person
    than to listen to the song of fools.
⁶ Like the crackling of thorns under the pot,
    so is the laughter of fools.
    This too is meaningless.

I would much rather hear the truth, even if it hurt in the moment. 

Seeking wisdom is more beneficial than pleasure.

Seeking truth is more beneficial than flattery.

Let’s seek to give and receive truth, in love, rather than give and receive flattery.

Alice

Thursday Devotional - Chasing After the Wind of Greener Pasture

You’ve heard the phrase, “the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence.” I’m guessing many of you have seen a cow stretch her head through a fence to eat the grass on the other side. I have! The grass was just as green on her side, but she thought differently.

People do the same thing. They chase after greener pastures, whether it’s a “greener” job, house, spouse, car, yard, body, hobby, etc.

Ecclesiastes 6:7 and 9  Everyone’s toil is for their mouth,
    yet their appetite is never satisfied...
⁹ Better what the eye sees
    than the roving of the appetite.
This too is meaningless,
    a chasing after the wind.

It’s one thing to work hard for God’s glory to take care of and improve the things we already have. It’s another thing to never be satisfied. As we talked last week, finding contentment and joy in the positions, possessions and people God has given to us is a satisfying gift of God.

James and Sarah have very different personalities. One is naturally more content than the other. The other one is quick to want the toy the other sibling has. I keep praying for wisdom to help them learn godly contentment instead of often looking for “greener pastures” elsewhere! 😊

What about you and me? Are we looking for greener pastures elsewhere, instead of enjoying the green pasture God’s already given? Would others say  we have a roving appetite or a satisfied heart?

Let’s regularly enjoy and be thankful to God for what we have been given!

Alice