Sometimes, it seems like we are programmed to want a better life. This daily devotional looks at what a better life is and how it fits into a meaningful life.
Nuggets
- A better life is found by doing good in the Lord and rejoicing.
- Our past determines our future.
Devotions in The Meaning of Life series
It seems like we are always looking for a better life. We need only to look to God to find it.
Let's Put It into Context
Here is a running list of what we’ve discussed previously.
A Better Life
“I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice and enjoy the good life. It is also the gift of God whenever anyone eats, drinks, and enjoys all his efforts” (Ecc. 3: 12-13 CSB)
A better life is found by doing good in the Lord and rejoicing.
Solomon figured out that there were two things needed for a better life.
- We need to do good.
- We need to rejoice.
Baldwin argued they needed to be in this order, rather than the order Solomon put them in. His reasoning was that we can rejoice only after we do the good.
Most will read that and see being a good person in that. We do have to follow God’s laws and commandments and love our neighbors. We do that by not murdering them, not stealing from them, not lying to them, etc. Baldwin put it this way. He wrote
“Doing good is a work of that known excellency in itself, yielding such sweetness and complacency in the practice of it, is so agreeable to the consent and opinion of all mankind in general, and so well pleasing and acceptable with God Himself, the grand Exemplar of doing good, that they must entirely have lost the principles of good nature, of improved reason, and revealed religion, who take care for none but themselves, regard not how it fares with others, so they may live in ease and plenty. Doing good is a public benefit, a great advantage to the world, and to the common state of mankind. Doing good, lastly, is a work of so large and comprehensive an extent, that high and low, rich and poor, learned or unlearned, may improve those talents God hath been pleased to entrust them with to His honour, and to the good of others; so that for me to go about to tell you what it is to do good, and wherein it consists, would be an endless task.”
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However, doing good means much more to God than just this corporal good. God is more into the spiritual good. This is the good as opposed to evil.
- Good, in the biblical sense, is the workings of God within His people.
- Evil is equated with sin because it is that which goes against God and His purposes.
God’s #1 priority is our spiritual condition, not the type of life we have in this lifetime. He wants to make sure our relationships with Him are restored.
We are told time and time again in the Scriptures to rejoice in the Lord.
- “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice” (Phil. 4: 4 ESV)
- “Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, O righteous, and shout for joy, all you upright in heart!” (Ps. 32: 11 ESV).
- “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (I Thess. 5: 16-18 ESV).
Rejoicing is a part of worshiping God.
Jay reminded us that God does not allow intemperance. Temperance is habitual moderation or self-control. He wants us to be self-controlled — sober (which has nothing to do with alcohol) and even-keeled.
Glossary
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We can look at verse 13 as enjoying the fruits of our labors. When we do good in the Lord and worship Him, God rewards us with a joyful life.
We can look at it this way, too. God wants us to enjoy the fruits of our labors. He wants us to enjoy our lives.
How are we going to witness to others and invite them to enjoy what we have if we don’t enjoy what we have? If this is the trial run for Heaven, and Heaven is to be a beautiful place, then we should be happy here also.
God has given us so much. He has forgiven us of so much. There is so much for which we should be thankful.
When we are, we have a better life. This is because we are putting the focus on God and taking it off ourselves and this world.
We are putting the focus where it belongs.
Forever with God
“I know that everything God does will last forever; there is no adding to it or taking from it. God works so that people will be in awe of him. Whatever is, has already been, and whatever will be, already is. However, God seeks justice for the persecuted” (Ecc. 3: 14-15 CSB)
Our past determines our future.
Solomon turned from talking about us and our lives to look at God. There is one bottom line that we can take to the bank.
“… everything God does will last forever; there is no adding to it or taking from it. …” (Ecc. 3: 14 CSB). God is
- Eternal.
- Omnipotent.
- Omniscient.
- Omnipresent.
- Self-existent.
- Unchangeable.
- Sovereign.
- Pure.
- Holy.
- Righteous.
- Faithful.
- True.
- Love.
Parr noted that God does all He does so that we will fear Him. Fear of the Lord means awe, reverence and love, not terror.
Glossary
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Verse 15 can seen like double talk at first glance. I think in today’s vernacular we would say what goes around, comes around. Or history repeats itself.
We can also look at it from the viewpoint of our futures are built on the decisions we make today. What we choose and what we learn today lays the groundwork for what happens tomorrow.
How many times have we heard things are cyclical? (Please don’t let that apply to bell-bottom pants!)
Storrs put it this way. He wrote, “No part of life is isolated, but each period is connected with what has gone before and with what comes after; all are combined to make a vital, organic whole, so that in judging of the present we are really judging the past, as in the day of final adjudication the acts of the bygone years will come up for approval or condemnation before the Judge of all the earth. We are to-day what. we are by means of the past, and the future is conditioned on the present. Life evolves itself out of the present; as the stream at the mouth bears a constant relation to all the streams that have watered the hills, so age is related to youth.”
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Think about it. No, the internet is new. But what we do with it isn’t.
Hacking to steal something from someone else isn’t new. Disseminating false information to damage someone else’s character isn’t new.
The Homilist noted that both memory and conscience play a major role in a required past. God wants us to remember where we have come from and how He has provided for us in the past. Causation also has a role to play in informing how we grow from our past.
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Goodrich reminded us that God will be using the past to judge us come judgment day. We knows our thoughts and actions have been written down, and those books will be opened and read on judgment day.
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Glossary
Talmage stepped up and said, “Wait a minute.” Jesus paid the debt for those sins. God has forgiven us and released us from them.
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Greenwood had an interesting sermon on how some in the past have felt that they have outgrown religion. He contended that they, instead, have just renounced it. Instead of leaving it behind as they have matured, they have abandoned it. There is a big difference.
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Making the Connections
This series is all about the meaning of life. There are two different aspects to that, isn’t there?
The day-to-day meaning of life really does have a totally different vibe than a looking-back meaning of life. The day-to-day meaning of life seem to take on more of the Mom questions.
- Are you happy?
- Are you healthy?
- Are you getting enough sleep?
- Do you have enough money?
The looking-back meaning of life is more big picture.
- Did I fulfill the purpose I was assigned?
- Did I make a difference in someone’s life?
When we look at the purpose God has for us, we need to ask
- Did I fulfill the purpose God assigned to me?
- Did I lead someone to Christ?
How Do We Apply This?
The ABCDs of Salvation
If you have not become a believer in Christ, please read through the
Plan of Salvation and prayerfully consider what God is asking you to do.
A – admit our sins
B – believe His Son Jesus is our Redeemer
C – confess God as Sovereign Lord
D – demonstrate that commitment by making any changes needed in our lives to
live the way in which God has called us
The Disciple’s Job Description
Searching for and Seeking God
Hearing His Word (Rom. 10: 17).
Reading His Word (Rev. 1: 3).
Praying to Him (Heb. 4: 16).
Studying His Word (Ac. 17: 11).
Meditating on His Word (Ps. 1: 1-2).
Memorizing His Word (Ps. 119: 11).
What do you think?
Leave me a comment below (about this or anything else) or head over to my Facebook group for some interactive discussion.
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