Holy Spirit | Be Still...

Ecclesiastes 11:7-10 – Great Advice!

Read Ecclesiastes 11:7-10

Other than the reference to everything being “meaningless,” Solomon’s advice here has a lot of merit. God does give us lives to enjoy. Whether we are young, old, or somewhere in between, we should be focusing on positive things, looking for the good in all situations.

I love the apostle Paul’s counsel in Philippians 4:8 which reads: “And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.” While Solomon is talking about rejoicing in each day, it’s so much easier to do that when we approach each day with a positive attitude.

Ecclesiastes 9:13-10:4 – How to Be Wise

Read Ecclesiastes 9:13-10:4

What do you make of the story Solomon uses here? I don’t know about you, but there are times in my life when I have felt invisible and unappreciated. Solomon doesn’t tell us anything about how the poor man felt about being overlooked. However, the people of that town surely benefitted from his wisdom which rescued them.

We should appreciate wisdom, no matter where it comes from. Why then, does the world pay more attention to the display of wealth, power, and success and not the wisdom behind it? Wouldn’t it make more sense to look at why the person achieved such greatness? Unless the successful person is simply lucky, there is something they did to attain their position.

Ecclesiastes 7:15-8:1 – Limits on Wisdom

Read Ecclesiastes 7:15-8:1

What an interesting passage coming from one of the wisest men ever. Solomon’s wisdom was a gift from God, yet there were limitations. Today we can tap into God’s wisdom when we allow the Holy Spirit to guide us. God is the source of all wisdom, for which there is no limit. We should be grateful for the wisdom God allows be revealed to us.

Solomon continues to struggle with his wisdom. Sometimes when we let our minds wander, we can end up in some unusual places. It seems that is what is happening to Solomon through this whole book. We have all seen things that don’t make sense or seem fair in this world. How do you handle those situations?

Ecclesiastes 2:1-11 – What Brings You Pleasure?

Read Ecclesiastes 2:1-11

In his own words, Solomon said he “had everything a man could desire!” I must admit, the list of things Solomon chased in life while seeking pleasure was quite complete. Most of us will never attain such wealth or the extent of possessions he describes. Why didn’t anything bring him happiness?

It’s easy for us to say, “because you can’t buy happiness.” If we know that to be true, then why do we also seek pleasure in the same way? I don’t think we should be condemned from being happy for having new “toys,” but we need to realize that happiness from those such things will not last forever.

Nehemiah 13:1-31 – Reforms Already?

Read Nehemiah 13:1-31

There are some timing issues in this final chapter that often confound the reader, wondering in what order things are happening. Our last reading so positively set the stage for how life would be in Jerusalem. Now Nehemiah swoops in to shake some sense into the Israelites who must have quickly forgotten their purpose.

It’s almost like “when the cat’s away, the mice will play.” Nehemiah had returned to Babylon like he had promised the king before he left for Jerusalem. Nehemiah must have gotten word that the people in Jerusalem were struggling. His faithful leadership was needed again!