by Charles Bertelsmeier
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Read Ecclesiastes 1:1–11
Although I can remember the names and a little about the lives of my grandparents, I would struggle to tell you the names of all my great-grandparents or anything about their lives.
Then I think about my grandchildren and realise they know virtually nothing about my parents and previous generations. I’m sure we could all agree with the sentiment expressed in today’s verse.
We will spend today and the next four days looking at the Old Testament book of Ecclesiastes. Before you open your calendar app and set a reminder to resume reading LCA devotions next Saturday and skip these five days, let me encourage you to persevere. God has put every book of the Bible there for a reason and has a message for us. I pray that God has a message for you in what he gives me to write. You may also like to read the whole book before we proceed with these devotions.
The first verse of this book indicates that the author is King Solomon. God blessed King Solomon to be one of the wisest people in history. He is also believed to be the author of the biblical book Song of Songs and to have collected many proverbs.
In Ecclesiastes, the author conducts a series of scientific experiments to find the meaning of life. In reflecting on this, I think we are all doing the same, but probably not as scientifically as Solomon. As young children, we are absorbed in play. As teenagers, we are trying to discover who we are. As young adults, we seek acceptance through our friendship circles and employment. Then, we aim to perpetuate our identity through our children, moving on to get ourselves financially secure and finally retiring to contemplate what we have achieved with our lives. Maybe we will even write up our life stories to perpetuate our legacies.
Solomon tries a range of activities to find meaning and fulfilment but comes up empty each time. Most of these things are things we also do to try to discover meaning and purpose. Spoiler alert: The conclusion Solomon comes to is that we only find that meaning and purpose through our relationship with God and by surrendering our lives to the plans he has for us.
Most of us, me included, didn’t want to hear that when we were younger and tried looking elsewhere. I thank God he didn’t give up on me and gently led me to accept Solomon’s conclusion.
Heavenly Father, I accept that life without you is meaningless. Please help me to listen to your Spirit as we dive into the Book of Ecclesiastes and to find meaning and purpose in your plans for us. Amen.
Charles is a retired engineer who has worked on communications projects for the air force, army and navy. He lives in a retirement village in the outer north-western suburbs of Sydney with his wife, Diane. Together, they have four children and eight grandchildren, all of whom they love spending time with. Charles keeps busy caring for their pot plants and a community vegetable garden, researching his family history and volunteering at LifeWay Lutheran Church.
What are the names of your little foxes?
by Kathy Matuschka
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The fig tree puts forth its figs, and the vines are in blossom; they give forth fragrance. Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away (Song of Solomon 2:13).
Read Song of Solomon 2:10–15
Do you have some favourite places in nature? Do you recall happy memories of sharing special places with loved ones?
A vineyard provides the setting for our reading, as it did yesterday. But today, rather than being an object of power and control, this vineyard is an intimate place, highlighting the freshness and delight of new love.
When our hearts connect with another (whether romantically or platonically), the connection we feel seems enhanced by being in the beauty and simplicity of God’s creation. The author of our text today expresses their extreme delight in the fine spring weather, the appearance of flowers, the cooing of doves, the fruit of the fig trees and the blossoming of the vines. For those in love, it seems no one else has ever beheld the beauty of the earth in the way that they do!
The author goes on to speak about little foxes – little threats to the bliss God offers us within our human relationships. Left to grow, these ‘foxes’ can damage and even destroy our ability to connect with one another – even with those in whom we once delighted!
There are so many little foxes, but I’ll name a few. There is perfectionism: sometimes we get so carried away with creating a perfect experience that we forget to rest into what God has so abundantly provided without our assistance.
Perfectionism can be related to inadequacy: the little voice that tells us we are not enough as we are. It urges us to produce more and achieve more.
Then there are little foxes that cause division, like misunderstanding, judgement, unforgiveness and bitterness. Those are busy little foxes!
Do you know the names of your little foxes?
Loving God, you made me to enjoy relationship with you, others and myself. By your Spirit, please release me from the power of the little foxes that limit and harm those relationships in my life. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.
That’s ridiculous!
by Kathy Matuschka
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Then he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son’ (Matthew 21:37).
Read Matthew 21:33–46
Jesus’ parables can be confusing, but this one seems straightforward, at least from our perspective as Christians. There seems to be an obvious, one-to-one correlation between the story as Jesus told it and God’s salvation story, as many of us have been taught all our lives.
The vineyard owner (God) established a vineyard complete with a fence and a tower (abundance). When the vineyard was under threat by bad tenants (the Jewish leaders at the time), the owner responded by first sending his servants (prophets), and then eventually his son (Jesus), to restore order (redemption).
But this story isn’t just a clever way of tricking the Jewish leaders into judging themselves, so that Jesus can ‘one-up’ them. It’s more than a shrewd response to their challenges to his authority.
This is an announcement – to all the powers of this world and beyond – of God’s ridiculous rescue plan for this world!
I mean, how ridiculous is it that the owner of the vineyard would send his son when the bad tenants have already killed his servants? Who would do that? A smart landowner would surely send an army and wipe out the opposition once and for all.
That’s how ridiculous God’s rescue plan was. And still is for us today. But unlike Jesus’ parable in our text today, God’s rescue story doesn’t end with the son being killed. God’s Son – our brother, Jesus – willingly became weak and vulnerable, and died … but then was raised from death. All praise and thanks to God!
Who would think that the creator of the universe, the author of all power, would act like that?
That’s ridiculous.
That’s love.
Amazing love! How can it be that you, my God, should die for me (Charles Wesley)? Amen.
Kathy is learning to give up her struggle to make sense of God and God’s world, and instead rest in the mystery of love that holds her each day.
Renew us; give us life (outsiders welcome)
by Peter Bean
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Restore us, O God of hosts; let your face shine, that we may be saved (Psalm 80:7).
Peter’s paraphrase of Psalm 80:7: Renew us, Enabler of Life; your Presence bless us; give us life.
Read Psalm 80:7–15
This verse occurs three times in Psalm 80: verses 3, 7 and 19. That gives it some importance! The New Living Translation translates this verse as: ‘Turn us again to yourself, O God … Make your face shine down upon us.’
God takes the initiative. Whether we are close to God or far away! Whether we are born into a Christian family or come from a different situation! God takes the initiative!
The psalm talks about the various things that God has done for his people. But it also acknowledges that they have slipped away; they have forgotten the provision of life and all its benefits. So the prayer begins with: ‘Turn us again to yourself, or renew us; give us life.’
The writer recognises that only God can revitalise us; only God can turn us back; only God can give us life. And how does God do that? By becoming like us!
Ironic, isn’t it? We were made like God (Genesis 1:26,27). But to renew us, God becomes like us: The Word became human and made his home among us (John 1:14). The psalmist knows, as God does, that we cannot turn to God on our own. So, God becomes human. Jesus, the Christ, lives among us, experiences human life and begins the work of renewal.
Christ becomes the enabler of life as God’s face literally shines on people. God takes the initiative. If you are struggling, looking for hope or feeling lonely, pray for God to be present in your life. Allow the Holy Spirit to turn you to Christ again. And be blessed. And experience life.
God, thank you for becoming like us, so that we could be like you. Renew us; give us life. Amen.
Spring has sprung. Flowers are displaying their colours; fruit is forming on the trees. There is new growth everywhere. As you observe this wonderful new life, may you revel in the new beginnings God offers you each day. As Peter continues to meander his way through the Book of Psalms, he invites you to read them anew and apply them to your life. If you would like his paraphrase of any psalm (from 1 to 120), send your request to pbean087@gmail.com