There is a lot of living for us to do once we join the living and before we face death. This daily devotional looks at God’s expectations on how we live our lives.
Nuggets
- We are to enjoy life.
- We are to enjoy a life free from sin.
- God didn’t call us to be idle.
Devotions in The Meaning of Life series
We started by talking about facing death – facing spiritual death. The last devotion was about how we joined the living.
Usually, there is a lot of time between. How does God expect us to live the life that we’ve been given in between?
Let's Put It into Context
Here is a running list of what we’ve discussed previously.
Enjoying Life
“Go, eat your bread with pleasure, and drink your wine with a cheerful heart, for God has already accepted your works” (Ecc. 7: 7 CSB)
We are to enjoy life.
I bet there are some who really question these words. Taken one way, it can smack of worldview pleasures.
In fact, the Plain Sermons by Contributors to the “Tracts for the Times” thought that was Solomon’s intent. They wrote, “As they stand in Ecclesiastes, they are intended to represent the sayings of sensual, careless people, indulging themselves in their profane ways, their utter neglect of God and goodness, with the notion that this world is all. It is much the same as the unbeliever’s saying, ‘Let us eat and drink, for to-morrow we die.’”
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No, I don’t think God is saying that to us. But I do know He is saying these words to us.
What? Do you think being a disciple of Christ means putting on our grumpy faces, starving ourselves, and being sticks in the mud?
No, we are to enjoy life. We are to find the joy that God gives. “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope” (Rom. 15: 13 ESV).
To read a related devotion, click the button below.
If God gives us this joy, peace, and hope, He isn’t going to want us to be blowing it with our pouty faces on — or worse. He wants us to exude a happiness of knowing Him.
Yes, God does ask us to give up things. Sometimes, He asks us to give up everything. He definitely asks up to give up sin.
Devotions in the Forsaking All for Jesus series
Just think about what encouragement those words would be when we are in give-up mode. “Enjoy life because your works have been accepted.”
We know we are set for good works. “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” (Eph. 2: 10 ESV).
Verse Commentary
Remember, good works means that we give God our best to complete whatever tasks He assigns for us to do. God accepts our work when He has called us to do it.
Enjoying a Pure Life
“Let your clothes be white all the time, and never let oil be lacking on your head. Enjoy life with the wife you love all the days of your fleeting life, which has been given to you under the sun, all your fleeting days. For that is your portion in life and in your struggle under the sun” (Ecc. 7: 8-9 CSB)
We are to enjoy a life free from sin.
Okay, where does the white robes come from? Peter described us as being priests.
“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” (I Pet. 2: 9 ESV). Prentiss wrote that “The priestly robes worn in the temple service were white …”
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We know that one day we will wear those white robes. “After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands” (Rev. 7: 9 ESV)
This is a command, though, for each of us to ensure our robe stays white. We don’t want to soil it with the stain of sin.
We want to remain pure. Pure means not being sinful or having the stain of sin.
Prentiss reminded us that this is something we have to do on our own. I can’t keep Adam’s robe white.
Oh, yeah. Momma Bear here wants to do just that. But I can’t.
Buddy Bear is in charge of his own robe. “Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son” (Jn. 3: 18 NIV).
I know. Verse 8 says “… all the time …” (Ecc. 9: 8 CSB).
The human side of me is screaming, “Not going to happen.” The disciple side of me is countering, “But we want to have the character of God all the time.”
We strive to be the disciples God calls us to be. When we fail, we ask for forgiveness. Forgiveness is, when we ask, God pardons us because we have shown repentance for breaking His laws and commandments.
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Prentiss said this that caught my eye. He wrote, “The clean garment shows the dirt at the slightest contact.” We have to be very careful to ensure that we stay pure in God’s sight.
We Are to Enjoy a Life of Service
“Whatever your hands find to do, do with all your strength, because there is no work, planning, knowledge, or wisdom in Sheol where you are going” (Ecc. 7: 10 CSB)
God didn’t call us to be idle.
The first thing we have to do is work out our own salvation. This is on our job description.
The Disciple’s Job Description
Complete Job Description
Individual Description
Job Duty #2
Work Out Our Salvation (Philippians 2: 12)
Next, God wants us to tell others about His love to expand His kingdom. He called us to do His work as we go.
“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Mt. 28: 19-20 ESV).
The go therefore isn’t necessarily a call to move to a foreign country. It is a call to witness as we are living our lives.
So, yeah, each of us can do it. Each of us are supposed to do it.
But why does God call all of us to it? Isn’t that a Pastor Joey job?
It is a basic principle of education. We learn by doing.
Lecture at us, and we will pick up some of it. Make us actually do it, we retain more. (Do you really want a surgeon who has never even practiced on dummies cutting on you?)
Barrow gave us a list of why we should find something to do with our hands.
- It keeps us out of trouble.
- It establishes good habits.
- It brings enjoyments to our lives.
- It gives us a sense of accomplishment and provides for us.
- It helps focus us.
- It provides comfort through memories.
- It helps us to reach higher — for ourselves and others.
- It prevents sin and closes the door to temptation.
- Barrow wrote, “Industry is needful in every condition and calling of life; in all relations for our good behaviour and right discharge of our duty in them.”
- It is one way to imitate Jesus. “We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work” (Jn. 9: 4 ESV).
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What God wants to see is our diligence. Tillotson identified this as a sincere obedience to God’s laws and commandments and a sincere repentance.
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To read a related devotion, click on the appropriate button below.
I think it is interesting that this verse starts with “Whatever your hands find to do …” (Ecc. 7: 10 CSB). I know I won’t be able to find it right now, but I know we just talked about us having to do the work that God wants us to do.
We can’t just say, “I am going to do this,” and expect God just to accept and bless it. We have to do what God is calling us to do.
Let’s look at it this way. We think of God’s work as the missionaries, preachers — some full-time job.
But what did Jesus say when He talked about separating the sheep and the goats? “For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me” (Mt. 25: 35-36 ESV).
Those don’t have to be full-time jobs. They don’t even have to be an everyday occurrence.
The point is, when God puts someone in our path, we respond in His way in His name. We do it sincerely and promptly.
We don’t know how long we will have the opportunity to serve. The opportunity may be available for a limited time. We may be facing death before we know it.
God wants us to act when He calls.
Making the Connections
Tillotson reminded us of something we do tend to forget. He wrote “So that to obey and please God is in truth nothing else but to do those things which are really best for ourselves.”
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God is only asking us to do what is the very best for us. He isn’t being some meany. He is loving us.
Romans 8: 28 says, “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose” (ESV). God works all things, not just some. All.
How Do We Apply This?
Tillotson gave us some thoughts to stimulate our diligence when considering our service to God that I’ve turned into questions.
- What type of work excites us?
- What are the requirements of the work, and do they fit with what would keep us working for God in this area?
- What more have we done for something of which God would not approve?
Tillotson reminded us that, when we do face death, a life in the service of God will give us much solace. How we spend eternity is determined how we spend our lives here. That means we will reap what we sow.
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Related Links
I have created a worksheet of the questions above. Click on the button below to access it.
- Serve God where we are planted first before we should think about being transplanted.
- Sincerely serve God with all our heart.
- Promptly respond to God’s calling.
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God wants us to live this life. If He didn’t, He would have taken us home at conversion. He left us here so that we could become more like Him and spread His gospel message to those who need to hear it.
Father God. Thank You for providing this life for us. We choose to serve You in whatever way You call us to do. We will do random acts of kindness in Your name. Help us to serve You. Amen.
What do you think?
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