9th January 2024
Pray (ACts) Read (Ecclesiastes 1v12-18) Message (Scott Woodburn) Most of us know the story about Solomon's request for wisdom. He was foolishly worshipping at the high place of Gibeon which was against the command of God. Even so, the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream and promised the young king that he would be given a gift from God. Solomon didn't ask for riches or victory over his enemies, instead he understood his inability to lead and so asked the Lord for wisdom. This pleased the Lord who said "I give you a wise and discerning mind, so that none like you has been before you and none like you shall arise after you." (1 Kings 3v12). Solomon's reputation for wisdom grew across Israel and would one day even entice a visit from the Queen of Sheba who journeyed to Jerusalem to test Solomon with hard questions (1 Kings 9v1) Amazingly the Lord providentially used this visit to bring the Queen to saving faith (Matthew 12v42). You would think that a man who loved wisdom, was famous for wisdom and authored three thousand proverbs would never grow tired of the pursuit of knowledge. Yet the King was still able to say that after seeking out much wisdom (v13) the pursuit of knowledge was an unhappy business (v13b). This might seem like an odd thing to say but I'm certain you've noticed that at exam time most children don't spend hours pouring over books with a smile on their face. In grander fashion the pursuit of wisdom still leaves us lacking answers. The most intelligent man in the world cannot answer everything and the most learned woman does not have the capacity to shed light on every subject. The Preacher understood that in life there are crooked things which can't be made straight and things lacking which can't be counted (v15). What did Solomon mean? We all know that in life there is much which doesn't make sense. I have known wonderful people who never seem to catch a break. I have sat at bedsides and watched the finest of Christians ravaged by disease. I have been asked questions that I could not and still cannot answer. Life often makes no sense and even though Solomon was wiser than all (v16) and took seriously the pursuit of wisdom (v17), he was still left to realise that trying to discern what is wise and what is madness is also a striving after wind (v17b). Furthermore, the King stated that much wisdom brings vexation and increased knowledge increases sorrow (v18). How so? The person who seeks wisdom is on an never ending pursuit of something they can never have. Humans are limited and for every answered question there are thousands more that must go unanswered. How are we to apply such verses? Let's be clear that the Lord isn't calling us to switch off our minds and to become unthinking robots. We are to read and think and wonder and create and ask. The teenager working hard for her GCSEs is honouring God with her attitude just as the man who loves going to the library is doing no wrong. I think in response I'd like us to become more comfortable with the mysteries of life. The Lord hasn't revealed everything to us and only He is all knowing. When the "crookedness" of this world causes us to weep and unanswered questions cause us to despair I think we are to strive after Christ rather than more and more wisdom. Scott Clark helpfully speaks about the "quest for illegitimate religious certainty" and I suspect we're all on that quest at one time or another. We ask "why? how? when? where?" seeking certainty above all and almost demanding that the Lord send us a letter with all our questions answered. You may think me simple and that's okay but often I am happy to admit that I don't have all the answers but I do have Jesus and He is enough. Maybe you need this approach too. Let the Saviour make the crooked paths straight for He is working out all things for the good of His people. I trust Him to answer every question well. Pray (acTS) Sing WSC Q37 What benefits do believers receive from Christ at death? The souls of believers are, at their death, made perfect in holiness, and do immediately pass into glory; and their bodies, being still united to Christ, do rest in their graves until the resurrection.
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Alan
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