Ecclesiastes 3:10-11

As I read through Ecclesiastes, I have mixed emotions as I connect on different levels with what Solomon says.

Part of me thinks how right he is when it comes to the meaningless acts of work, pleasure and what we acquire in this life. The other part of me, a wild guess being the Holy Spirit, reminds myself that when we act for the glory of God, everything holds meaning.

These two verses brought about similar pulls as I saw both sides to the argument.

Ecclesiastes 3:10-11 ~ "I have seen the burden God has laid on men. He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end."

Solomon creates quite the contrast here. He attributes God with giving men a burden to carry, a burden of the longing for something greater – eternity – only to discover we cannot possibly understand this longing.

Sandwiched between these two revelations sits an expression of God's beauty.

In Matthew Henry's commentary on these verses, he says that we need to patiently wait for God to reveal what we cannot comprehend.

For Solomon, this proved frustrating. For myself, I can't help but grow excited.

God set eternity in our hearts. That thought alone brings comfort and amazement. We can rest assured that this life is not our permanent home. We were created for something so much more. And we will not be completely satisfied until we are home.

I don't see this as a burden. I see it as a reason to find the beauty that God created while I live out my time here, knowing that if I cannot even fathom what God has done, then the future holds more than I could possibly imagine.

The tree I didn't climb

When I took a business trip to Michigan at the beginning of the year, I found myself faced with a choice that appeared ordinary at first. But, of course, God used the ordinary to open my eyes. 

It was a balmy 38 degrees on camp, about 40 degrees warmer than it had been all week, and I ventured out not entirely sure where I was going. Needing peace during my walk, I decided to follow the path that didn’t contain any noise, hoping to steer clear of people. 

Filling this time with prayer, I felt a sense of excitement in wondering what God would reveal to me as I listened for His voice.

The temptation

After about 20 minutes of walking, there stood an amazing tree to my right that caused me to stop. This tree screamed “Climb me!” Its branches stuck out in just the right places for feet to stand on and hands to grasp.

Naturally, my first thought when spying this tree was, “I need to climb it.” So, I left my path and walked to the base of it, staring straight up through the bare branches to the top. It was beautiful.

Before I started climbing, I went through a few scenarios in my mind.

Scenario one included someone important on camp driving past and catching a glimpse of me climbing this tree by myself. After yelling at me to come down, they would see my blue name badge, which signifies I’m full-time staff, and I would feel extremely stupid for doing something so irresponsible.

Scenario two included me half-way up the tree. With the snow forming cold blankets on pretty much every limb, there was a solid chance I could slip and fall during this climb. Then, unable to make the walk back, I would have to call for help and feel humiliation as I explained how I hurt myself doing something so irresponsible.

Both scenarios had my responsibility on the line. Naturally, I started to climb.

I hadn’t even reached the second branch when I asked myself what the heck I was doing. Sure, the thought of climbing higher and reaching for branch after branch was slightly intoxicating, but my responsible side began to take over, and I stepped back on the ground.

As silly as it seems, part of me was frustrated with myself. If someone had been with me, I definitely would have continued climbing. But thinking of what could have happened by myself, when nobody knew where I was, that caused me to pause.

The frustration grew from the fact that I didn’t just throw responsibility out the window for five minutes. Then there was the frustration of the temptation. It really wasn’t that big of a deal when I thought about it. But the consequences could’ve been a big deal.  

While this wasn’t a sinful temptation, more of an irresponsible one, I can still imagine this is how Satan works in my heart. The temptation he dangles in front of me appears minute, silly even. Those who don’t hold to the same set of values would probably make fun of me for not giving into the temptation.

What do you have to prove?

And so it’s easier to give way to the “small” temptations to show I don’t always color inside the lines. I’m not a “stiff” Christian.

How easily I slip, though, on the branches of my temptations. What once appeared innocent and only potentially dangerous has left me wounded and stranded.

The question I have to ask myself is not, “What could it harm to just give in for once?”  I should ask myself, “Why and to whom am I trying to prove myself?”

When temptations come your way, set aside the opinions of others, the whispers of the devil and your own voice trying to talk yourself into it. Focus only on the truth of Christ.

When your focus remains on Christ, you will begin to see beyond the amazing tree waiting for a climber. You will see the icy branches and the empty road with nobody around for miles.

In the end, I know I don’t have to prove myself to others. I don’t even have to prove myself to me. What I have to do is stay on the path, no matter how enticing the tree looks. 

Philippians 2:5-11

How often do we praise God for everything he has done for us? Probably quite often. When things are going great in life, it's easy to praise him for it. When things aren't going so great, it's a little harder, but still common, to remember all God has blessed us with in the past and praise him through the trials. 

I have come to realize this pattern in my own life. In and of itself, it is a wonderful thing to praise and give God glory for his mighty works. But how often do we praise him simply because of who he is? 

I must admit I am guilty of putting the character of Christ side by side with what he has done for me. Stop and think about that. I put him side by side his works. Side by side. 

Should I not be placing him above all things? My praising him is not based on what he does, but who he is. Read these verses from Philippians with new eyes, no matter how many times you have read them. Think about his character, and praise him for it.

Philippians 2:5-11 ~ "Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:

Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death -- even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him a name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."