November 15, 2023
Please use the comment section on this page to share insights from today’s reading OR your own personal Bible reading.
Reading along with us in Ecclesiastes? Here’s today’s reading:
Ecclesiastes 5 (NIV)
Fulfill Your Vow to God
1 Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Go near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong.
2 Do not be quick with your mouth,
do not be hasty in your heart
to utter anything before God.
God is in heaven
and you are on earth,
so let your words be few.……Continue Reading
Man has a tendency to speak quickly and often. We often speak without thinking leading to hurt or broken relationship. Often this can occur even when we speak to God and Solomon recognized that. I know for myself the idea of “be still and know He is God” is often difficult as I can be impatient and need to slow down and listen more.
He also spoke of other things that are common pitfalls of man which are vanity and injustice. We live in a country where a famous person can spend more than I paid for my house on a watch and yet others go hungry. Certainly not everyone who is poor is there out of injustice and sometime their own poor decisions but the old saying “the rich keep getting richer and the poor poorer” does have truth. The need for more and more trying to reach happiness is so meaningless. We see so many miserable rich people who’s lives end up in destruction in that pursuit of more. Again a reminder of perspective, motivation, and where do our treasures lie; is it in the things of this world or is it in God and the things of eternity.
Ecclesiastes 5 he reminds us to watch what comes out of our mouths, it should be what is useful to others to lead them to God. He talks about riches and how we always want more never being satisfied with what God has given us. We should look at our riches as gifts from God and be content with what we have. Find gladness in our hearts with what God gave us.
The end of verse says, “Therefore fear God”. This seems like a very good idea since many of Solomon’s proverbs say that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, wisdom, and humility. Do people really think they fool God? His advice or observations in verses 18-20 put God in the appropriate place in our lives.
10 He who loves silver will not be satisfied with silver;
Nor he who loves abundance, with increase.
This also is vanity.
“The sleep of a laboring man is sweet, Whether he eats little or much; But the abundance of the rich will not permit him to sleep.”
Ecclesiastes 5:12 NKJV
There are a few statements in this chapter that are true. Such as verse 3b [ a fool`s voice is known by multitude of words.] verse 4b [ for God has no pleasure in fools; pay that which thou hast vowed.] and verse 15a [ As he came forth of his mother`s womb, naked shall he return to go as he came.] In scripture it says when words are many transgression is not lacking. Also in Proverbs 17;28 it reads. [Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise; and he that shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of understanding.] God wants us to be true to our word so be careful when you speak. Also when we die we can`t take anything with us. So we should be living for Christ and not for stuff. God bless us all.
How important it is not to be familiar with God or focus more on what we are saying than on God Himself. We are all wise to be more mindful of Him at all times and revere Him in the way He deserves. And possessions and material wealth without contentment will always lead to their never being enough. I believe it was Howard Hughes that was asked what the hardest amount of money to have was…and he said “enough”. In fact once we are dependent on wealth we then must be afraid to lose it. And we can’t take it with us anyway so better to live for those things that last for eternity. But for us to work, have a return for our labor and be blessed according to God’s providing for us, is a focal part of life, and yet it doesn’t end there either. As we are aware of God’s work and how He can use us beyond our efforts and in our efforts, we gain a fullness that is consistent with the abundant life that Jesus says He has come to bring.
Ecclesiastes 5
Ecclesiastes 5
To live abundantly is to do our best at work, be thankful for what we have, have a relationship with God, serve Him, serve others, and have the hope of eternal life. Happy Thanksgiving!! I am super grateful for my church family : )
thankful for you too Shelly and all those who follow and/or share here…