16th April 2024

16th April 2024


Pray (ACts)


Read (Ecclesiastes 11v3-6)


Message (Scott Woodburn)


It was the late Donald Rumsfeld who famously said “Reports that say that something hasn't happened are always interesting to me, because as we know, there are known knowns; there are things we know we know. We also know there are known unknowns; that is to say we know there are some things we do not know. But there are also unknown unknowns—the ones we don't know we don't know. And if one looks throughout the history of our country and other free countries, it is the latter category that tends to be the difficult ones.”


What did he mean? There are things we know we know, things we know we don’t know and things that we don’t know we don’t know. Still confused? Me too, but I think Rumsfeld was speaking about certainties and uncertainties, there are things that we can know and there are things we can never know.


What can we know? If we see dark foreboding clouds overhead, we can be reasonably certain that rain is going to fall (v3a) and if a tree falls in a forest it will lie there until moved (v3b). What can we never know? It is God who breathes life into a child in the womb (v5) and while we know much about human reproduction and DNA, there remains something wonderfully mysterious about how the Lord brings forth life (v5b). No wonder David spoke of his creation in this way “I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” (Psalm 139v14).


So there are things entirely knowable and other things which belong only to God. How do we respond? Not by sitting at home. The individual who always waits for absolute certainty will never lift a finger. It’s like a farmer waiting for the perfect weather, he believes that tomorrow will be better and so he never gets round to sowing and reaping (v4).


The right response is to understand that aspects of life are both certain and uncertain. There are things of which we can be sure whilst admitting that we cannot accurately predict tomorrow. Even so, we do the work in front of us today. In the morning we sow our seed and we continue to work when the evening comes (v6). We can’t be sure that our work will prosper or fail, nevertheless we honour Christ by not shrinking in the face of uncertainty.


Brothers and sisters, you will never have all the answers and the “unknown unknowns” will remain unknown but this is perfectly okay. You can be sure that the Lord is good, He is for you and one day you will see the face of Jesus. Live and work in light of these certainties - for Christ’s sake.


Pray (acTS)


Sing


WSC


Q14 What is sin? Sin is any want of conformity unto, or transgression of, the law of God.
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