Every day brings with it countless possibilities. When facing decisions, it is easy to be confounded by many "what ifs" and be paralysed with uncertainty. What we do not know or cannot predict can hinder us from doing what we know is right.
In the book of Ecclesiastes, Solomon addressed this issue. There are many things which are completely out of our control. Some things will happen without our permission, like trees which fall in a storm. What's done is done, but God graciously grants us the power to make good and profitable decisions moving forward. Though we cannot determine everything which could happen, we should not be hindered in doing what is right. The king of Israel wrote in Ecclesiastes 11:4-6: "He who observes the wind will not sow, and he who regards the clouds will not reap. 5 As you do not know what is the way of the wind, or how the bones grow in the womb of her who is with child, so you do not know the works of God who makes everything. 6 In the morning sow your seed, and in the evening do not withhold your hand; for you do not know which will prosper, either this or that, or whether both alike will be good."
Solomon makes the point the farmer sows even if a blowing wind makes an even spread of seed more difficult, and he will not allow the threat of rain to leave good crops unharvested. There are a lot of things we don't understand or comprehend, like how wind is generated or how a baby develops in the womb of the mother. We don't understand how God accomplishes many such wonders: should our lack of understanding hinder us from trusting God in areas of our lives we mistakenly believe we have control? When we make our ability to understand the barometer for making decisions, we lean on our own understanding and fall short of God's grace.
I like the exhortation Solomon gives here: the farmer may not be able to explain how a baby is formed in the womb of its mother, but there is a time and season for doing things he knows is right. In the morning he should sow his seed, and in the evening he should do work, eat food, and take rest as is appropriate for the season. No farmer can predict if a crop will be lean or bountiful, but if he does not sow he will not have a crop at all! A farmer may not be able to explain how oats germinate or what causes deciduous trees to drop their leaves, but he is to make the most of every season. Never allow the "what ifs" to paralyse us from doing the good works God has called us to do.
In the book of Ecclesiastes, Solomon addressed this issue. There are many things which are completely out of our control. Some things will happen without our permission, like trees which fall in a storm. What's done is done, but God graciously grants us the power to make good and profitable decisions moving forward. Though we cannot determine everything which could happen, we should not be hindered in doing what is right. The king of Israel wrote in Ecclesiastes 11:4-6: "He who observes the wind will not sow, and he who regards the clouds will not reap. 5 As you do not know what is the way of the wind, or how the bones grow in the womb of her who is with child, so you do not know the works of God who makes everything. 6 In the morning sow your seed, and in the evening do not withhold your hand; for you do not know which will prosper, either this or that, or whether both alike will be good."
Solomon makes the point the farmer sows even if a blowing wind makes an even spread of seed more difficult, and he will not allow the threat of rain to leave good crops unharvested. There are a lot of things we don't understand or comprehend, like how wind is generated or how a baby develops in the womb of the mother. We don't understand how God accomplishes many such wonders: should our lack of understanding hinder us from trusting God in areas of our lives we mistakenly believe we have control? When we make our ability to understand the barometer for making decisions, we lean on our own understanding and fall short of God's grace.
I like the exhortation Solomon gives here: the farmer may not be able to explain how a baby is formed in the womb of its mother, but there is a time and season for doing things he knows is right. In the morning he should sow his seed, and in the evening he should do work, eat food, and take rest as is appropriate for the season. No farmer can predict if a crop will be lean or bountiful, but if he does not sow he will not have a crop at all! A farmer may not be able to explain how oats germinate or what causes deciduous trees to drop their leaves, but he is to make the most of every season. Never allow the "what ifs" to paralyse us from doing the good works God has called us to do.
No comments:
Post a Comment
To uphold the integrity of this site, no comments with links for advertising will be posted. No ads here! :)