Fri.’s Devo - God’s Perspective

Read: Ecclesiastes 7:1-9:18; 2 Corinthians 7:8-16; Psalm 48:1-14; Proverbs 22:17-19 All I can say about today’s reading is that Solomon was having a really bad day. He begins well saying that a good reputation is invaluable but then spirals down into a hole speaking of funerals and death. He says that a fool thinks only of having a good time but always comes back to eat, drink and be merry which is a contradiction. In Ecclesiastes we learn how a person who is apart from God looks at the world and tries to process it in his own mind. Solomon says some extremely wise things but follows it with some extremely foolish things. We get to see the struggle that we all go through as we process what is good and why we do the things we do. Solomon cries out at injustice - good people die young and wicked people enjoy long lives. His conclusion is not to be too good or too wicked. He is trying to be ‘safe’. There was nothing about Jesus’ life, or any of the great men of God’s lives that were ‘safe’. Solomon tries to get wisdom by determining to find it and control his thoughts and actions. He finds out that that is too hard to do. Wisdom only comes from God. Solomon concludes that in all his searching he has not found what he is looking for. He realizes the limits of man over their future. He doesn’t understand the goodness of God and that God does reward righteousness whether it is here on earth or in heaven. People’s memory is remembered…we have a whole Bible and history books and library books about people’s lives. Everything we do for God is recorded in heaven. Solomon is an observer and some of what he observes is very right but he doesn’t look at life from God’s perspective, he looks at life from man’s perspective. In Proverbs, Solomon looks at life from God’s perspective. We see little glimpses of what he learned in Proverbs as Solomon makes his way back. In Corinthians, Paul is thrilled to hear that the Corinthians read his last letter and took it to heart. He had addressed things that they needed to correct and they repented. He is also happy that they welcomed Titus with open arms and showed him the love of God. Lord, you say that you rebuke those you love and chasten your children in order that they will grow. Thank you for your rebukes and chastenings. Help us to be quick to repent and turn back to you, forsaking our sins and wrong attitudes. Your Word is the entrance of light. Help us to see life from Your perspective.