1 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 man knows whether love or
hate awaits him. 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.
As it is with the good man,
so with the sinner;
as it is with those who take oaths,
so with those who are afraid to take them.
3 This is the evil in everything that
happens under the sun: The same destiny overtakes all. The hearts of men,
moreover, are full of evil and there is madness in their hearts while they
live, and afterward they join the dead. 4 Anyone who is among the
living has hope —even a live dog is better off than a dead lion!
5 For the living know that they will
die,
but the dead know nothing;
they have no further reward,
and even the memory of them is forgotten.
6 Their love, their hate
and their jealousy have long since
vanished;
never again will they have a part
in anything that happens under the sun.
7 Go, eat your food with gladness, and
drink your wine with a joyful heart, for it is now that God favors what you do.
8 Always be clothed in white, and always anoint your head with oil. 9
Enjoy life with your wife, whom you love, all the days of this meaningless life
that God has given you under the sun— all your meaningless days. For this is
your lot in life and in your toilsome labor under the sun. 10
Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the grave,
where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor
wisdom.
The majority of people who set goals rarely follows through and keeps them. That is clear when it comes to New Year’s resolutions, for example. However, goal-setters who do set and keep goals know the importance of setting realistic goals. It’s OK to set long-term as well as short-term goals. However, if they are not realistic, the person or group involved gets discouraged and is quick to abandon their goals. I personally do believe and practice setting realistic goals. I also do periodic checkups to see how I’m doing with those goals. Am I making progress? Are the goals small enough to be realistic while, at the same time, large enough to challenge me to stretch to reach them? It is important to periodically reflect on these things as:
THE TIME IS SHORT.
Our key verse for today is: “Whatever your hand finds
to do, do it with all your might, for in the grave, where you are going, there
is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom.” [Eccles. 1:10 NIV}
A
bumper sticker on the back of a flatbed semi-truck read, “If you can’t stop,
smile as you go under!” There’s another
one that reads, “It’s no joke. Some day
we all shall croak!” Then there is the
tombstone epitaph that reads, “See! I
told you I was sick!”
You
see, life is short. Solomon says that
there is a common destiny for us all.
His writings remind us that we need to make the most of every
opportunity. We have one life to
live. We have one life to give. We invest our lives in something each
and every day. So we need to set
realistic goals and invest our lives day by day, as Christians, in wholesome
outreach.
TIME
IS TO BE INVESTED WISELY.
That
doesn’t mean that we are all work and no fun.
I have more fun as a Christian than I ever did before accepting Christ
as my personal Savior and Lord. For one
thing, a clean conscience is worth a lot!
Also, I don’t miss a single hangover from the old days of drinking. I love being a part of a worldwide family of
believers in Christ that knows who we are, Whom we belong to and where we are
going! I know where I’m going. I’m enjoying the trust. I trust that you are too!
Within
this, though, we are reminded that time is short. We are reminded that time is to be invested
wisely! In John 9:4, we read where
Jesus said, “As long as it is day, we must do the work of Him Who sent Me. Night is coming, when no one can work.” It was true for Jesus! It is just as true for you and me! As
such, we need to see that:
TIME
IS PRECIOUS TO A SOUL-WINNER.
In
James 5:20, the Bible says, “Remember this: whoever
turns a sinner from the error of his way will save him [or her] from death and
cover over a multitude of sins.”
We are to be keenly aware of those who are spiritually destitute all
around us. We need to remember that
there are people all around us who will go out into eternity lost. There are those who will go out into
eternity into a very real and also very horrible existence in a place that the
Bible calls hell.
You
and I need to dare to care! We
need to care enough to step out in faith, trusting God to enable and
equip us to effectively reach these precious souls for Jesus. “As long as it is
day, we must do the work of Him Who sent” us, remembering: “Night is coming
when no one can work” [John 9:4].
Please note:
You are welcome to share this daily devotional in your local churches, but I suggest that you personalize it. You do not have permission to publicize it or to make money from it in any form. May God richly bless you as you minister for Him with rich spiritual rewards of seeing many souls saved and sanctified for all eternity! Please let me know whatever helpful results you may get from this!
With Warm Sincerity in Jesus’ Love,
Rev. Don Schink, Pastor-Evangelist
Sonlight Ministries
Tijeras, NM
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