Loving the Giver

I became a Christian as an adult, yet am beginning to see how God used pre-faith events as lessons for the Christian life. My mom read the Bible every morning. I copied her and that carried over after Jesus changed my heart. She also trusted that whatever happened we “must need it” and that laid a foundation for trust. She also did one thing that was annoying at the time; she bought clothes for me that I didn’t like at all. They were not my style, not the colors that looked well on me, but I see now how that mirrors a biblical command. I’m told to love the Giver rather than make idols of the gifts. I loved my mom, even when she gave me that bright orange silk thing!

Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. (Psalm 37:4)
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. (Philippians 4:4)

As today’s reading says, these are commands. While I am also told to “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits” (Psalm 103:2) it would be idolatry to call the gladness I get from them, my love for God. I could love my mom even if I didn’t care for the gifts. He showed me the distinction before He saved me.

Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. (Psalm 73:25–26)

Because I have a heart problem from childhood, this passage speaks also. The Lord is indeed the strength of my heart. I do appreciate pacemakers and cardiac specialists, but they are not my strength — the Lord is, and He taught me that before I knew this verse existed.

The Word of God teaches me that His gifts of health, wealth, and prosperity do not satisfy. I learned that before learning that only God satisfies. While I thank Him for all He does, I cannot call those gifts or the feelings they bring with more delight than my love for Him. As David said, “In your presence is fullness of joy, in your right hand there are pleasures forever” (Psalm 16:11), I know that nearness to God is the only totally satisfying experience in my life.

PRAY: A friend just had a heart-attack and another friend’s son just had a stroke. They need prayer. Our day is filled with family plans needing prayer. My to-do list is still too long and I yearn for a day that does not involve “settling in” to this new house, a day that is just ‘normal’ and without a host of interruptions. All are needing prayer. But You, Jesus make such a difference. I can chat with You through all of it and enjoy the strength of heart that You provide, and the joy of knowing that no matter what happens, You have reasons for it. Thank You for showing me that I can love You as Giver even when the gifts are not ideal or comfortable. You hear and answer, and You are my portion forever!

The key is joy . . .

 

 

READ Ecclesiastes 5–8

God uses Solomon’s book of wisdom to speak to me today. We have a church picnic right after our worship service. I’m not great with small talk and have entertained the thought of staying home. However God says this: “Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. To draw near to listen is better than to offer the sacrifice of fools, for they do not know that they are doing evil. Be not rash with your mouth, nor let your heart be hasty to utter a word before God, for God is in heaven and you are on earth. Therefore let your words be few . . . .” (Ecclesiastes 5:1–3) His advice for the worship service and the picnic is simple; don’t worry about talking — just listen!

A more sobering thought is an issue that comes with age; life can seem pointless. It has bothered me for a few days. As some say, like is: ‘get up, work, eat, sleep, get up, work, eat, sleep, then you die.’ Solomon’s book calls this “vanity” — a life without meaning. God speaks to this also . . .

Behold, what I have seen to be good and fitting is to eat and drink and find enjoyment in all the toil with which one toils under the sun the few days of his life that God has given him, for this is his lot. Everyone also to whom God has given wealth and possessions and power to enjoy them, and to accept his lot and rejoice in his toil—this is the gift of God. For he will not much remember the days of his life because God keeps him occupied with joy in his heart. (Ecclesiastes 5:18–20)

I can relate. I’ve always lived ‘in the moment’ and not in the past. I remember incidents when they are brought up, but for the most part, my thoughts are in the ‘now’ and because of God’s grace, this gift of joy that Solomon writes about has occupied my heart. It is okay to not “much remember” when the Lord grants the ability to accept my lot in life and rejoice in the work He gives.

This is not true for everyone. Solomon realized that and wrote:

There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, and it lies heavy on mankind: a man to whom God gives wealth, possessions, and honor, so that he lacks nothing of all that he desires, yet God does not give him power to enjoy them, but a stranger enjoys them. This is vanity; it is a grievous evil. If a man fathers a hundred children and lives many years, so that the days of his years are many, but his soul is not satisfied with life’s good things, and he also has no burial, I say that a stillborn child is better off than he. For it comes in vanity and goes in darkness, and in darkness its name is covered. Moreover, it has not seen the sun or known anything, yet it finds rest rather than he. Even though he should live a thousand years twice over, yet enjoy no good—do not all go to the one place? (Ecclesiastes 6:1–6)

I am surrounded by many who do not enjoy life or are not thankful for what they have, sad people, and I am sad for them. I know how falling into ‘wanting more’ or being unthankful can make me sad. This is not the way to live. What is the point of life if sorrow is all a person experiences? However, Solomon says a truth that contradicts the usual idea about sorrow. He says . . .

Sorrow is better than laughter, for by sadness of face the heart is made glad . . . . It is better for a man to hear the rebuke of the wise than to hear the song of fools. (Ecclesiastes 7:3; 5)

Why is that? It has been my experience with sorrow that the Lord uses it to make me think about what is worthy of joy and what is vanity. He shows me that joy is not in temporal blessings. I can be happy when things go well, but it is the “song of fools” to think that is the only way to be happy. Only the joy that Jesus gives lasts, through good times and sad times of trial and loss. As Solomon says: “In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider: God has made the one as well as the other . . . .” (Ecclesiastes 7:14)

This wise man commends joy, “for man has nothing better under the sun but to eat and drink and be joyful, for this will go with him in his toil through the days of his life that God has given him . . . .” (Ecclesiastes 8:15) And that is the bottom line; God gives joy and I can choose to receive it rather than decide to feel sorry for myself because of life’s challenges. They might be small, such as feeling awkward about chatting with others or large, such a losing a dear one. But joy is available from the One who gives it and who tells me to “Rejoice always” and for that, I thank You, Jesus.