Amy Kelley, Dir. of Outreach (Gethsemane)

Ecclesiastes 3:9-15
9 What do workers gain from all their hard work? 10 I have observed the task that God has given human beings. 11 God has made everything fitting in its time, but has also placed eternity in their hearts, without enabling them to discover what God has done from beginning to end.

12 I know that there’s nothing better for them but to enjoy themselves and do what’s good while they live. 13 Moreover, this is the gift of God: that all people should eat, drink, and enjoy the results of their hard work. 14 I know that whatever God does will last forever; it’s impossible to add to it or take away from it. God has done this so that people are reverent before him. 15 Whatever happens has already happened, and whatever will happen has already happened before. And God looks after what is driven away.

Reflection:
In learning about Ecclesiastes and who tradition holds as its writer, King Solomon, I have discovered that he is likely asking himself the questions we all ask ourselves: What am I doing? What is the meaning of all of this? What really matters? Why am I just spinning my wheels when it’s just all going to disappear? These are questions that believers and non-believers ask themselves often. Do we have the answers, not really? Maybe? Solomon lets us know that it’s okay to not have the answers. It is absolutely freeing to sometimes just throw your hands up and say, “I don’t know”. But don’t just leave it there. Solomon is reminding us that trusting God is what we should do when we are uncertain.

Have you ever misinterpreted the tone of an email or a text message? I can say from experience that it never goes well. So I have learned to ask the intention or meaning. Just like those misconstrued messages, these passages can so easily be misunderstood as well. Verse 9, for instance, is often interpreted that we shouldn’t work hard because there is no reward here on earth. Another explanation I’ve heard is that we shouldn’t work hard just for a reward. These ideas may be right… or they may be missing the mark. But that’s exactly what Solomon is doing in this scripture. He’s answering the questions with more questions for us to think about. However, he’s also conveying to us what God wants us to know.

Here’s what Solomon wants us to know for sure:

  1. Work hard. (v 9).
  2. Acknowledge God (v 10).
  3. Trust God because we just don’t know everything (v 11).
  4. Find your joy and enjoy it (v 12).
  5. To work hard and play hard is a gift (v 13).
  6. God’s work is eternal. Ours is not. God is worthy of our praise (v 14).
  7. What will be, will be. Gods got this (v 15).

We may not know everything and that is just fine by me. Because I know who does… God.

Prayer:
All-knowing God,
Thank you for the ability and gift to work hard and play hard. But help me to work smart and play smart, too. I don’t want to ever take those two things for granted. They are a gift from you to me. I am grateful that you know everything so that we do not have to. Remind us to trust in your plan and to trust this process called life. We praise you because you are never off the clock. As your Son prayed… for thine is the kingdom, and the power and the glory forever. Amen.