Today’s readings: Ecclesiastes 6:5–17; Revelation 7:9–17; Luke 10:1–16
Verses 1 and 2, previous to our text today, shows us that to have possessions means nothing. All the money in the world can buy lots of stuff, and yet enjoying the stuff can be a heavy burden to bear. Many people suffer from this burden. We have new cars and the latest electronic equipment and big homes. We try desperately to enjoy these things, but we seem to remain empty and our eyes shows our emptiness. We just have to look around us and observe ourselves and our neighbors and how we struggle to enjoy the things we have.
I think the key to all of this can be found in the Word of God. The book of Ecclesiastes shows us the enjoyment comes from a life lived in and through God. Enjoyment does not reside in possessions; it is a gift that God gives. If he withholds it, no amount of effort is going to extract enjoyment from things. That is a difficult lesson for us to learn. Enjoyment is a gift of and from God.
Ecclesiastes shows us to receive everything with a grateful heart, realizing that we do not have it coming; it is a gift of God.
Prayer: Lord help me to overcome my frustrations and live by your gifts. Amen.
Today’s devotion was written by Dieter Punt, Pastor at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Troutman, NC.
Tomorrow’s readings: Ecclesiastes 7:4–14; Revelation 8:1–13; Luke 10:17–34