September 9
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ECCLESIASTES 4
Again, I saw all the oppressions that are done under the sun. And behold, the tears of the oppressed, and they had no one to comfort them! On the side of their oppressors there was power, and there was no one to comfort them. 2 And I thought the dead who are already dead more fortunate than the living who are still alive. 3 But better than both is he who has not yet been and has not seen the evil deeds that are done under the sun.
– Ecclesiastes 4:1-3
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ECCLESIASTES 4 THE TRAGEDY OF CRUELTY
A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA
The world we live in is full of wickedness and cruelty
The rich exercises power and shows the poor so much partiality
Those who have very little are stolen of the little they have
While those who have hoarded much wealth still want more.
Those who do not know God continue to pursue power
Men mistreat their wives and make them fearful and cower
Little children are traumatized by adults who mistreats them
The vulnerable continue to suffer and be affected by the wicked.
Those who are sick are at the mercy of health providers from of a corrupt system
The mentally challenged are minimized and neglected and discriminated
The poor and the needy are increasing in numbers without much help
The tragedy of cruelty and inequality is so astoundingly prevalent.
There are many injustices exercised between two or three nations
The women, children and other innocent bystanders are in bondage
Because of the pursuit of power and authority, many people suffer
These manifestations of cruelty and wickedness are all tragedies.
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REFLECTION
• What were some kinds of cruelties that you have experienced or witnessed made you long for God’s vindication?
• Why do you think oppression is very prevalent in our world today?
• How can we Christians be the voice for those who are oppressed and vulnerable?
Monthly Archives: September 2023
ECCLESIASTES 3 FINDING PEACE AND JOY IN WORK AND LIFE
September 8
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ECCLESIASTES 3
16 Moreover, I saw under the sun that in the place of justice, even there was wickedness, and in the place of righteousness, even there was wickedness. 17 I said in my heart, God will judge the righteous and the wicked, for there is a time for every matter and for every work. 18 I said in my heart with regard to the children of man that God is testing them that they may see that they themselves are but beasts. 19 For what happens to the children of man and what happens to the beasts is the same; as one dies, so dies the other. They all have the same breath, and man has no advantage over the beasts, for all is vanity. 20 All go to one place. All are from the dust, and to dust all return. 21 Who knows whether the spirit of man goes upward and the spirit of the beast goes down into the earth? 22 So I saw that there is nothing better than that a man should rejoice in his work, for that is his lot. Who can bring him to see what will be after him? – Ecclesiastes 3:16-22
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ECCLESIASTES 3 FINDING PEACE AND JOY IN WORK AND LIFE
A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA
If we look at this world we live in, we can be discouraged and scared
Injustices and wickedness abound and righteousness is a novelty and is rare
We can be consumed by the fear of the unknown and the danger around us
The future may seem so dark and desperately bleak and hopeless
We can worry ourselves to death and think about what’s going to happen
But all of these futile things humans do make their lives full of chaos and sadness
It is useless to worry about things that hasn’t come yet; we are not in control
Let us remember that it is a sin to be anxious; it shows our mistrust to the Lord.
Humans can be so concerned with their work and find their own value through it
But it can also make us lose our peace and joy if we do it for its own sake
The Lord gave us all the ability to work and to be productive in our lives
But if that gift of toil becomes an obsession, then we lose our joy and peace
Let us all be thankful that we have been made in God’s image and be fruitful
If we let God’s Spirit guide our lives, we will bear the Spirit’s fruit and be useful
Jesus is the only source of peace in this world; without him, we will perish
Count your blessings and all your abilities and opportunities and you will flourish.
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REFLECTION
• How can man easily turn a gift from God into a source of anxiety and worry?
ECCLESIASTES 3 GOD IMPRINTS ETERNITY IN MAN’S HEART
September 7
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ECCLESIASTES 3
9 What gain has the worker from his toil? 10 I have seen the business that God has given to the children of man to be busy with. 11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man’s heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end. 12 I perceived that there is nothing better for them than to be joyful and to do good as long as they live; 13 also that everyone should eat and drink and take pleasure in all his toil—this is God’s gift to man.14 I perceived that whatever God does endures forever; nothing can be added to it, nor anything taken from it. God has done it, so that people fear before him. 15 That which is, already has been; that which is to be, already has been; and God seeks what has been driven away. – Ecclesiastes 3:9-15
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ECCLESIASTES 3 GOD IMPRINTS ETERNITY IN MAN’S HEART
A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA
God loved man so much that he made him like him
He made everything beautiful in God’s own time
The Lord designed mankind so he will long for him
This is God’s imprint of eternity in man’s heart.
Whether a man knows God or not, he is designed for eternal life
This is why we have a sense of what is right or wrong inside us
Those who don’t know God would call it gut feeling or conscience
But for those who love God, they know that it is the Spirit’s guidance.
When we pursue material things, we fail to recognize eternal things
If we truly examine our hearts, we will trace this truth inside us
Everything that we receive from God is a gift to get closer to eternity
But because of sin, we fail to truly walk in the Spirit towards our maturity.
Do you find yourself wanting to end suffering and long to be with the Lord?
That too, is a manifestation of that imprint that he has put in our hearts
Let us then, remember that we are made to spend eternity with him
Let’s not be enmeshed by this world’s constant lure to rebel and sin.
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REFLECTION
• What are some of the manifestations of eternity in man’s heart?
ECCLESIASTES 3 A TIME FOR EVERY MATTER UNDER HEAVEN
September 6
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ECCLESIASTES 3
For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:
2 a time to be born, and a time to die;
a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;
3 a time to kill, and a time to heal;
a time to break down, and a time to build up;
4 a time to weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
5 a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
6 a time to seek, and a time to lose;
a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
7 a time to tear, and a time to sew;
a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
8 a time to love, and a time to hate;
a time for war, and a time for peace.– Ecclesiastes 3:1-8
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ECCLESIASTES 3 A TIME FOR EVERY MATTER UNDER HEAVEN
A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA
God made all things at certain times
He created the light and call it day
When the day ends, he called it night
These are some of the boundaries he made
The Lord is a God of order; he won’t allow chaos
He gave life to us, but because of sin, we will also perish.
God gave us a chance to repent so we can be alive again
He gave us his only Son so we can be cleansed and be reborn
He created us in our mother’s womb so we can be alive at birth
Then, he allowed us to grow but there’ll be a time for our end
There is a time and season for all things in this life on earth
There is no reason to cling to one time, that is just how he made it to be.
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REFLECTION
• What happens when we cling on to a certain season that we go through?
ECCLESIASTES 2 DO MEN VIEW LIFE IN LIGHT OF ETERNITY
September 5
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ECCLESIASTES 2
24 There is nothing better for a person than that he should eat and drink and find enjoyment in his toil. This also, I saw, is from the hand of God, 25 for apart from him who can eat or who can have enjoyment? 26 For to the one who pleases him God has given wisdom and knowledge and joy, but to the sinner he has given the business of gathering and collecting, only to give to one who pleases God. This also is vanity and a striving after wind. – Ecclesiastes 2:24-26
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ECCLESIASTES 2 DO MEN VIEW LIFE IN LIGHT OF ETERNITY
A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA
Every morning when you wake up, are you preoccupied with habits?
Are you automated when it comes to the things in your daily life?
Humans make so much fuss about what will give him pleasure or not
Are you living a life that has true meaning in the light of afterlife?
Does your work and goals in life make you wiser each day?
Do you do things for someone else’s benefit or only for yourself?
Men work very hard just so he could hoard wisdom, wealth and power
He even prays regularly to receive much blessings and favor.
What is the point of all the meaninglessness that life has to offer?
Is there a reason for living or do we exist on earth just for pleasure?
If the Lord has a purpose for our lives, how come we live for ourselves?
Did he create mankind so that we can pleasure ourselves with what he gave us?
Do we even care to find out why we are here according to God’s plan?
Do we stop to examine our hearts to see God’s imprint in us?
All that this earthly life gives us is to chase after what is transitory
Life on earth is all useless if it doesn’t view it in light of eternity.
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REFLECTION
• What can change your worldview of life into the light of eternity?
• Why do humans like to focus much on the pleasures of life rather than pleasing the Lord?
• What are automated practices and mindsets that make our lives meaningless?
ECCLESIASTES 2 THE POINTLESS VEXATIONS OF HUMANS
September 4
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ECCLESIASTES 2
18 I hated all my toil in which I toil under the sun, seeing that I must leave it to the man who will come after me, 19 and who knows whether he will be wise or a fool? Yet he will be master of all for which I toiled and used my wisdom under the sun. This also is vanity. 20 So I turned about and gave my heart up to despair over all the toil of my labors under the sun, 21 because sometimes a person who has toiled with wisdom and knowledge and skill must leave everything to be enjoyed by someone who did not toil for it. This also is vanity and a great evil. 22 What has a man from all the toil and striving of heart with which he toils beneath the sun? 23 For all his days are full of sorrow, and his work is a vexation. Even in the night his heart does not rest. This also is vanity. – Ecclesiastes 2:18-23
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ECCLESIASTES 2 THE POINTLESS VEXATIONS OF HUMANS
A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA
Each day that comes, man seeks to pursue recognition and control
He works very hard so that he can fulfill all his cravings and desires
He chases wisdom and wealth so he can have a taste of power
He toils so that he can pass on and leave a legacy to his children
Man worries about the inheritance he would leave behind
Would they be handed over to those who deserve it?
Restless and in despair of not knowing what happens to their legacy
The pointless vexations of humans are futile and this makes it all vanity.
Humans get consumed by what he chases after
Like a ball, he goes around and around in circles
He worries about so many things in this life
As his vexations pile up, he becomes vexed by his death
What is the point of all these worries and anxieties?
It is the meaninglessness of what this life offers
Only God’s steadfast love can pacify these vexations
He alone can complete us and get us off from desolation.
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REFLECTION
• Where does anxiety and vexations stem from?
ECCLESIASTES 2 DEATH IS INEVITABLE & LIFE IS FLEETING
September 3
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ECCLESIASTES 2
12 So I turned to consider wisdom and madness and folly. For what can the man do who comes after the king? Only what has already been done. 13 Then I saw that there is more gain in wisdom than in folly, as there is more gain in light than in darkness. 14 The wise person has his eyes in his head, but the fool walks in darkness. And yet I perceived that the same event happens to all of them. 15 Then I said in my heart, “What happens to the fool will happen to me also. Why then have I been so very wise?” And I said in my heart that this also is vanity. 16 For of the wise as of the fool there is no enduring remembrance, seeing that in the days to come all will have been long forgotten. How the wise dies just like the fool! 17 So I hated life, because what is done under the sun was grievous to me, for all is vanity and a striving after wind. – Ecclesiastes 2:12-17
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ECCLESIASTES 2 DEATH IS INEVITABLE & LIFE IS FLEETING
A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA
Whether we live our lives chasing after wisdom
Or if we hold on to a life of reckless abandon
We will inevitably face death as it is a part of this life
Fools or wise, rich or poor, we will all eventually die.
The wise has his pursuit of wisdom and chase it with passion
The fool chooses to walk in darkness, chaos and deception
But they all will come to the same culmination, their life ends
So, what is the point of all this striving? It is just meaningless.
If our purpose in life is to chase dreams or be reckless
Is it worth living since our lives will eventually vanish?
What if we live for someone who will give us a life without end?
Won’t our lives be worth living if we have assurance of eternity?
Physical death will then be a welcome thought because we will be united with Christ
Our lives will be with purpose and no longer vain when we serve the One who was Risen
Fear of failure, death and being not good enough will no longer haunt us
We will see then that life is not our master, but it is Jesus, who is our Savior.
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REFLECTION
• Why do some people fear death? How should believers view death?