Ecclesiastes 8:15–9:10

Bringing the sermon home:

We cannot make sense of what God is doing in our lives. In the immediate context, the issue is why God permits injustice, specifically why the righteous perish while the wicked flourish so much of the time. Even for those of us who seek to know and serve God, we cannot discern from our circumstances whether God loves us or hates us (9:1). The bottom line is that we cannot use our circumstances as the measure of God’s love for us.

Nothing brings this home more than death, as both “the wicked” and “the righteous” are headed for the grave. While this is a sad certainty, the Preacher’s emphasis is not on what we will experience after death, but rather on the loss of our ability to further contribute to God’s work on earth. And what is God’s work on earth? The mission to see the entire world filled with worshippers of God (Gen 1:28; Mt 28:19-20; cf. Phil 1:21-24).

What then? Seize the day! Get busy living today! Rejoice in knowing and trusting that God is accomplishing His good purposes through you as you seek Him, even if you can’t see how it matters in the end, for this is wisdom. Resolve to gratefully enjoy God’s good gifts as they come rather than grumbling over what He hasn’t given you. May He spur us all on to serve Him with all our might.

“My food is to do the will of Him who sent me and to accomplish His work.” (John 4:34)