Scripture:
He has also set eternity in the hearts of men. Ecclesiastes 3:11b
Observation:
God has purposefully built into our hearts the desire for eternity and the yearning for the perfection of heaven.
Application:
You've heard it said that there is a hole in our souls that only God can fill, and this verse testifies to that truth. God created us in His image. We are spiritual beings who long for the perfection of heaven. We have eternal value, and nothing but our eternal God will ever satisfy us. We may look for satisfaction in this present life - whether it's in money, fame, sex, power or "stuff" - but we will not find it. Not on earth. Because God designed us that way.
He designed us to long for Him. He designed us to long for a relationship with him. He designed for us to long for a relationship with Him that is unhindered by the sin of this world.
When we become Christians, that God-sized hole becomes, I think, a God-sized crack. We absolutely can, and do, experience a true relationship with God while on earth and all the satisfaction and peace that comes with it. But even so, we long for home.
Prayer:
Dear heavenly Father, we know that you are our Creator. The Creator of heaven and earth. The Creator of man, made in Your image. Thank You for creating us with eternity in our heart, with that desire for You. Forgive us for searching for fulfillment in other ways. Thank you for the sacrifice of Your Son - the only way for us to restore our relationship with You, the only way to fill that hole in our soul. And thank You for the promise we have of heaven, where we will do innumerable things, but one of which will be to celebrate the intimate relationship we will be able to enjoy with You unhindered by the sins and cares of this world. Thank You for that hope. Amen.
Tomorrow's passage: Ecclesiastes 4-6, Acts 9:23-43
2 comments:
Amen! Great post Tammy!
Amen! Very true.
I'm finding Ecclesiastes less hopeless this time around. I really noticed in today's passage that he was talking about storing up our treasures in heaven rather than on earth. You often hear the phrase "you can't take it with you" - sometimes in defense of getting as much enjoyment out of life as you can. I think you SHOULD enjoy life, but HOW we enjoy life is the key. Solomon makes it quite clear that he had all the earthly pleasures of man available to him in abundance, and found nothing of lasting value in it. He says the SINNER gets the TASK of storing up wealth, only to leave it behind to someone else when he dies. But to the man who pleases God, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness. Not wealth or possessions or pleasures. For me, a light bulb went on in Ecc. 3:22 - "So I saw that there is nothing better for a man than to enjoy his work, because that is his lot." Let's face it, cleaning the house and changing diapers aren't really enjoyable tasks. I think it's not necessarily the job we're doing, but who and what we're doing it for in which we are to find satisfaction and joy. Not an easy thing to remember all the time, but probably easier if we have a God-sized crack instead of a hole! :)
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