# 21 2024 Dev. Ecclesiastes 11:8.Enjoy Life! Read all of chapter eleven first. We invite you into God’s space, to read His Word, to think on and interact with. This is God’s story. Do you believe that this may also be part of our story, in our time? All passages are taken from the NIV.
Ecc.11:8 “However many years anyone may live, let them enjoy them all.”
Ecc.11. Ecclesiastes is a difficult book and there are different ways to deal with it. One way is to look at the plain meaning of the text. Often the material is a foil to what is good and to what is meaningful. The “Teacher” says: Be prudent but we are not in control. Be diligent but we are not in control. “Remember your Creator while Young.”
Vs.1-2 The Teacher says in today’s idiom, “hedge your bets.” And “don’t put all your eggs in one basket.”
Vs.3-6 The Teacher tells us that we are completely dependent on the weather, it is unpredictable, this is very applicable in an agricultural society as in that time. They, like farmers today, make choices in faith. We trust in God’s care, but we use common sense in all that we do, as the Teacher suggests in His time. He also suggests diligence, after planting, “at evening let your hand not be idle.”
Vs.7-10 “Remember your Creator while young.” Enjoy the good days, but “remember the days of darkness.” “Everything to come is meaningless.” One dark day weather wise and event wise in our lives will undo a number of good days.
“You who are young, be happy…let your heart give you joy in the days of your youth.” Then the Teacher warns the youth, “follow the ways of your heart and whatever your eyes see, but know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment.”
Don’t be anxious and cast off the troubles of your body,” willfulness, unhealthy desire for things, and lust. There is an advantage in being young, but also a disadvantage in lack of prudence. “For youth and vigor are meaningless.” Thanks be to God for His grace, for His care and for His blessings. In an unstable world Jesus is our Rock. Amen.
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