THIS IS TABLE ROCK FELLOWSHIP – PASTOR RYAN LADEN (DEVOTIONALS)
| Where are you Looking? Do you feel that you are living in the present, or do you feel that you spend lot of time looking back on the days that have already been? It is good to look back and reflect on the good days, learn from the hard days, and give thanks to God for getting you through the bad days. But what does it say about us if we seem to live in the past? Is it good for us to get lost in what was to the extent that we stop looking at all that is in front of us today? In the passage that follows, we hear from a wise man who learned quite a few things concerning the life about which the Lord has called us to be a part: “This is what I have observed to be good: that it is appropriate for a person to eat, to drink and to find satisfaction in their toilsome labor under the sun during the few days of life God has given them—for this is their lot. Moreover, when God gives someone wealth and possessions, and the ability to enjoy them, to accept their lot and be happy in their toil—this is a gift of God. They seldom reflect on the days of their life, because God keeps them occupied with gladness of heart.”Ecclesiastes 5:18-20 NIV11 Enjoy It is right and good for us to work hard, be rewarded for our labor, and then be able to enjoy the fruits of that labor in this life. Work is good for us. It brings order, pride, ingenuity, and accomplishment into our lives. We have been wired by God to find value in all of these things. When we do not feel we are contributing to the world around us, or to the greater mission of God, we will find ourselves feeling disconnected and despondent. We need to be active. We need to contribute. And we need to celebrate our wins with those we care about and love. Stay Busy in the Lord I love the idea that was expressed in verse 20, “They seldom reflect on the days of their life, because God keeps them occupied with gladness of heart.” When we are busy in the Lord, doing what the Lord has called us to do in this life, we find that we can be satisfied with each day as it comes. We do not need to live in the past, wishing for “the good old days.” When we are active in the Lord, we are able to enjoy the day as it unfolds. We do not get lost in the future, worrying about what might be, nor do we disappear into the past, dreaming of days that were probably not as good as you remember them. Instead, see that the Lord wants to use your day to day life for his own glory and purposes. If you submit yourself to the Lord, you will find that everyday can and does have value and worth. In Christ, Ryan Laden |
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