eternity – Be Still…

Psalm 84 – How Lovely It Is

Read Psalm 84

What a beautiful psalm of respect for God’s house. At first, I wasn’t sure if the psalmist was referring to the temple in Jerusalem, a tabernacle in the wilderness, our local church, or heaven where God reigns forever in his Kingdom. Where is God’s dwelling place? I don’t think God is contained in a physical location. What are your thoughts about where this lovely place might be?

Suffice it to say that the presence of the LORD is magnificent no matter where we are. As so many other Scripture passages assure us, God is with us and never abandons us. When we allow ourselves to acknowledge God’s supremacy over our lives, we can’t help but worship him with our gratitude and praise. We long for more time dwelling in God’s presence. Continue reading “Psalm 84 – How Lovely It Is”

Ecclesiastes 7:1-14 – This is Not Proverbs

Read Ecclesiastes 7:1-14

Solomon gives us “proverb-like” nuggets of wisdom here. However, I have to say that some of his tips don’t seem that wise to me. Keeping the perspective of when he was writing these thoughts down is helpful to me. Solomon had been exposed to countless false teachings from his many pagan wives. Plus, he didn’t have the promise of salvation we know in Jesus.

When we put our “redemption lens” on this passage, it’s easy for us to clear up some of Solomon’s concerns. I’d rather focus today on several of the observations Solomon got right. Having discussions on each of these points would be fun in a small group, don’t you think?

Ecclesiastes 3:9-15 – Enjoy Life

Read Ecclesiastes 3:9-15

God wants us to enjoy life, not trudge through each day just going through the motions. We often set unrealistic expectations on ourselves for what we can accomplish in a day and end up feeling like we failed. Here we’re told that God has given us the work we are to do. What is that work for you?

If we’re focusing on what God wants, and we already know that his timing is perfect, then our day should go exactly like it should. If we are enjoying the life God has given us, living it to please him, then we have accomplished something very great. There are plenty of people who don’t have this connection to God and are not feeling fulfilled.

Mark 12:35-37 – Whose Son?

Read Mark 12:35-37

This is an interesting little passage, didn’t you think? Nestled away between all the teachings Jesus is sharing with the people and with his disciples on his final journey toward the cross. This time, Mark tells us the message was proclaimed to the people. We have the honor to be able to hear Jesus’ teaching whether it’s to the “people” or to his closest disciples.

The crowd is delighted. I wondered about that word. Were they delighted just to be in Jesus’ presence? Perhaps they were honored that Jesus had asked them a question. Jesus wanted to know what they thought about a certain teaching of the religious leaders. A teaching about the Messiah, about Jesus himself. It’s always good to know your audience and how they understand such important matters.

Mark 10:35-45 – Serving Others

Read Mark 10:35-45

Jesus takes advantage of another teachable moment to let his disciples know their mission is all about serving, not being served. The disciples seem to be having a hard time understanding their purpose. That’s a lesson many of us need to hear over and over as well.

Our world is a very competitive place. It’s easy to fall into the trap of trying to win and forget our true mission in life. It’s not that God doesn’t want us to succeed, but we need to keep in mind how many kinds of rewards there are. The reward or prize we need to keep our eyes focused on is eternity with Jesus. There is nothing greater. James and John knew that and were even seeking a place of honor beside Jesus!