Ecclesiastes 7

READ: Eccl.7

REFLECT:

Prosperity and adversity both come from God's hands; a wise Father's heart has given them to you. In the words of the hymn, 

Day by day and with each passing moment,

Strength I find to meet my trials here;

Trusting in my Father's wise bestowment,

I've no cause for worry or for fear.

RELATE:

We are not in charge of life. The great satanic lie that subtly comes at us a thousand times a day is that we are gods, we are in charge, we can plan, we can direct, we can control. Because within the freedom of will that God has granted us there appears some truth to that, we easily believe the rest--that we are in ultimate control of everything. But the lesson of the Scripture, driven home again and again, is that that is not true. God is in charge. What He sends us is always designed to benefit. This is the clear teaching of the Scripture, both in the Old and the New Testament alike. Even though adversity may have painful aspects, we are to understand that it comes from a loving God and be grateful for it. An unknown poet has written:

When God wants to drill a man,

And thrill a man,

And skill a man;

When God wants to mould a man

To play the noblest part,

When he yearns with all his heart

To create so great and bold a man

That all the world shall be amazed,

Watch his methods, watch his ways—

How he ruthlessly perfects

Whom he royally elects.

How he hammers him and hurts him,

And with mighty blows, converts him

Into trial shapes of clay

Which only God understands.

While his tortured heart is crying,

And he lifts beseeching hands.

How he bends but never breaks

When his good he undertakes.

How he uses Whom he chooses,

And with every purpose, fuses him,

By every act, induces him

To try his splendour out.

God knows what he's about.

REST:

Father, I see that all things come from Your hand. Thank You that I can trust that even when I feel hammered and hurt, You are shaping me into a vessel of beauty and honour. 

TAN TEE KHOON

(This devotion was inspired by the late Ray Stedman's Daily Devotions which can be found at www.raystedman.org)