I have seen the burden God has laid on men. (Ecc 3:10)
I think it's safe to say that we can all say we have seen the burden God has laid on us. We can thank Adam and Eve for that. We live in a world filled with pain, suffering, sorrow, and more. It was not God's intent. He had a nice spot for us picked out in Eden and somebody decided to listen to a snake.
It's not all bad, but our lives were not "designed" to be lived this way. God's plan was for us to spend eternity in a beautiful place, surrounded by beautiful things, no labor, no crying, no death, joy, peace, security and love. Because of the sin of the first, we, the many, endure hardship, loss and pain. We have stress and worry far greater than any other nation has ever faced. We fear our Social Security won't be there when we reach retirement age, we worry that the market will crash again and we will lose all our investments, we worry that our children and grandchildren will have enough natural resources to sustain life on this planet (I, just for the record, do not worry about that particular one - God WILL provide). We work at jobs we hate because we need the money, we spend hours trying to figure a way out from under and we try to hold onto every last drop of sanity in the process. Cheer up! We still have the opportunity to spend eternity in a beautiful place!
Everything changes, "to everything there is a season". The statement a lot of us make is "I just want to be happy!" How can we even expect to have constant happiness when everything around us is changing? God brings each of us to our knees at one time or another. What we choose to do while we are on them is totally up to us. He gives us all the opportunity to have faith in him! My mother used to tell me to "make my own happiness, it shouldn't depend on anyone but you". We all have the capacity to do what is right, what is good. We should jump at the chance to do so!
"Then let us seize the favourable opportunity for every good purpose and work. The time to die is fast approaching. Thus labour and sorrow fill the world. This is given us, that we may always have something to do; none were sent into the world to be idle." (Matthew Henry).
Don't let yourselves be idle. Be a part of the cast in his production. Be vigilant and be wise, be brave and be strong - be something, be anything, but do not be discouraged. He's coming for us! You cannot afford to ignore this casting call. His victory over the enemy will be sweeter than anything imaginable. The "cast party" afterwards will be well worth it!
I think it's safe to say that we can all say we have seen the burden God has laid on us. We can thank Adam and Eve for that. We live in a world filled with pain, suffering, sorrow, and more. It was not God's intent. He had a nice spot for us picked out in Eden and somebody decided to listen to a snake.
It's not all bad, but our lives were not "designed" to be lived this way. God's plan was for us to spend eternity in a beautiful place, surrounded by beautiful things, no labor, no crying, no death, joy, peace, security and love. Because of the sin of the first, we, the many, endure hardship, loss and pain. We have stress and worry far greater than any other nation has ever faced. We fear our Social Security won't be there when we reach retirement age, we worry that the market will crash again and we will lose all our investments, we worry that our children and grandchildren will have enough natural resources to sustain life on this planet (I, just for the record, do not worry about that particular one - God WILL provide). We work at jobs we hate because we need the money, we spend hours trying to figure a way out from under and we try to hold onto every last drop of sanity in the process. Cheer up! We still have the opportunity to spend eternity in a beautiful place!
Everything changes, "to everything there is a season". The statement a lot of us make is "I just want to be happy!" How can we even expect to have constant happiness when everything around us is changing? God brings each of us to our knees at one time or another. What we choose to do while we are on them is totally up to us. He gives us all the opportunity to have faith in him! My mother used to tell me to "make my own happiness, it shouldn't depend on anyone but you". We all have the capacity to do what is right, what is good. We should jump at the chance to do so!
"Then let us seize the favourable opportunity for every good purpose and work. The time to die is fast approaching. Thus labour and sorrow fill the world. This is given us, that we may always have something to do; none were sent into the world to be idle." (Matthew Henry).
Don't let yourselves be idle. Be a part of the cast in his production. Be vigilant and be wise, be brave and be strong - be something, be anything, but do not be discouraged. He's coming for us! You cannot afford to ignore this casting call. His victory over the enemy will be sweeter than anything imaginable. The "cast party" afterwards will be well worth it!
