The Devotional - A Look at the Book #622

The Devotional - A Look at the Book #622

by Jesse Abel

The Devotional – A Look at the Book #622

Papa “J” May Say

Claiming responsibility for anything these days has flat lined like that of a working defibrillator on a non-working heart.

Thoughts about Life

When I was working as a housing director, it was common for me to interview applicants for low income housing. One individual comes to mind this morning; in her sixties she applied for low income elderly housing. She had never been married and never held a job where personal income was applied to her labors. She was by her confession a professional student who spent most of her life studying at one school. The point I wish to make is that she had no income from any source including Social Security. While she had enough wisdom to be on Jeopardy for an extended length of time, she had no practical application or experience to fill one line on a resume other than her name and date of birth. Here is the rub: There are not many professional students as she laid claim too, but I sense that there are many believers who have a solid understanding of Salvation Justification, Sanctification and Glorification who rub shoulders with the lost of this world daily who say nothing at all about the Good News… that is; that Jesus Saves! John 4:1-54

Ecclesiastes 7

Verse 27-29 – So as we conclude this chapter we need to consider that Solomon here has not concluded his thought since his conversation about “practical wisdom” does not finish until chapter 8 verse 2. It is just good practical sense to have a will to be of good character as verse 1, says and it is better to listen to the rebuke of practical wisdom from the wise then to listen to the songs of fools; verse 5. So here in verse 27, Solomon begins to sum up his message which really began in chapter 6 verse 7.

“This is what I have found; adding one thing to another to find reason and purpose, I still see that my soul is empty and void of full understanding”. Is a man’s wisdom stronger than that of a woman? Among the thousands that Solomon has touched in his life the answer is no; but that the woman is more vulnerable than the man. He also concludes that man is more corrupt; even though God has made man upright. Fallen man is a schemer who willing justifies his ungodly life. Genesis 3:12

While it is necessary to be wise as Solomon suggests and to know the interpretation of life; it is also necessary to have a practicing understanding of wisdom. Solomon as we close out this book will spend the remainder of his thoughts about life under the sun by providing counsel. Ecclesiastes 8:2. I do not recommend that we all go out and live in the vanities of the world, but I do recommend that we listen to the wise counsel of the Living Word of God and practice the faith that God has provided to each of us through His Son. Ephesians 2:10