Monday May 4, 2009 FEAR GOD AND OBEY HIM
What do working people gain from their hard labor? I have seen mortals weighed down with a burden that God has placed on them. It is beautiful how God has done everything at the right time. He has put a sense of eternity in people's minds. Yet, mortals still can't grasp what God is doing from the beginning to the end of time. I realize that there's nothing better for them to do than to be cheerful and enjoy what is good in their lives. It is a gift from God to be able to eat and drink and experience the good that comes from every kind of hard work. After having heard it all, this is the conclusion: Fear God, and keep his commands, because this applies to everyone. God will certainly judge everything that is done. This includes every secret thing, whether it is good or bad. Ecclesiastes 3:9-13; 12:13-14 King Solomon's life is a good one to study. Solomon was appointed by God to be David's heir to the throne. 2 Chronicles 1:7 records a special time for Solomon: "That night God appeared to Solomon. He said, 'What can I give you?'" Solomon asked for wisdom, and for many years he walked in it. Yet, after building the temple and a vast kingdom for himself, he grew bored with life. He then set out to discover the true meaning of life. He grew depressed and turned to wine, women, and song. Everything, he found, was useless. In his old age he reached the conclusion that happiness was found by simply working hard and trusting God. >From the very beginning it was God's purpose for man to work. Genesis 2:15 >says, "Then the LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to farm the land and to take care of it." This was before the Fall. Work did not become labor until after the Fall when God cursed the soil (3:17-20). We are raising my daughter's two children. She barely graduated from high school, and has had jobs off and on, but over the ten years I have watched her go from bad to worse because of drugs. Yet, when she was working, there was a change in her attitude and her actions. A simple job gave her a feeling of self-confidence and significance. Unfortunately, although she is no longer using the drugs totally ruined her teeth, making it impossible for her to get a job now. Robert McGee wrote a very good study book titled, The Search for Significance. His consensus is the same as Solomon's, we all want to feel that our life has meaning. Within each of us God placed a desire to have a sense of worth. A majority of people get a sense of worth from the job they do. When people don't have work - they tend to lose hope and their sense of self-worth. So, Solomon's wisdom proved wise. Everything does have a season. Life does have meaning. Work is good for you. Dedicating everything to God makes it worthwhile. So, go ahead, say your blessing and eat, drink and be merry, then get up and work! Father, there are times when we slip over into the flesh and forget to seek first the Kingdom. In those times we need a loving reminder of whose we are. Thank You for loving us enough to speak the truth to us in love. Help us obey You better. ******************************************* O. Addison Gethers e-mail address : [email protected] or [email protected] window live messenger: [email protected] aim: durangoadd64 skype: cowboys62 yahoo messenger: OADDISONGETHERS --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Deaf-Blind Inspirational Life Group" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/DBILG?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
