The Ecclesiastes Life under the sun, under the Heaven ... Life without any eternal perspective ... Life without a Door of Salvation ... Life with eyelids turned upward ... Even when this living is synchronized with a personal righteous endeavor and a sacrificial attitude ... If it is but a "life under the sun", and NOT LIFE "IN THE FAITH OF THE SON" ... It is vanity. It is uselessly wasted.
Never is there a guaranty of the next heart beat ... Never is there signed certification of immunity without incident ... Never a promise for tomorrow... Sometimes the normal brings with it a life threatening monster that swings the unseen and unwarned sting of death; and we are gone. And at that moment all the most advanced security measures, the most meticulously studied health propositions are found to be anemic. Any accumulated prestige, all the well gathered and garnered wealth and possessions, and all the best laid steps to reaching our dreams ... Deactivated and left behind!
"Or ever the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel be broken at the cistern." Ecclesiastes 12:6 " Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was, and the spirit return unto God who gave it." Ecclesiastes 12:7
... Why would Solomon paint the event that can deactivate man from life under the sun in such a poetic way? I truly think that if you take the time to read Ecclesiastes you will see "The Preacher" (every once in a while) allows the curtains of eternity to peek open momentarily by the wisp the Spirit's wind so that we would desire Heaven's perspective and not our own temporal tunnel vision.
"In God's hand" ... All positions, all possessions, all things related to success and failure, all information gathered for wisdom and foolishness ... Are in His hands. It is revealed that LOVE is also "in His hands" and stands out as something we can't begin to muster up or earn in a lifetime ... Real Love is in His hands. Does that threaten us?
He who fashioned us in His own image ... Knows what is best and is directed by His great love for us, to us and through us. If we are threatened, check to verify our connection."It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment" ... Yes, there is a deactivation point for every thing on this side of Heaven... But just as sure as Winter buries the death of Fall ... Spring has always ushered in new life and hope of Summer.
If we hear the Voice of the Spirit in this entire matter, we will know that "in Christ", our Fall here may cause a Winter for those mourning around our shell that is left behind ... under the sun; but for those in the Son ... They rejoice in the Hope that We already have been ushered into the eternal Season of the Son.
"In His Hands" is not a Holy terror to those trusting... but an awe filled reverence ... So fear! - Live in awesome respect for - God; and keep, trust, guard and give life to His commands ... for they are His Love directions and life appointments that allow us to have Heaven opened to the eyes of our hearts. Doing is not always keeping (think about it). The Keeping is guarding within the assessment that the value is precious and priceless.
"Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and "keep" His Commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be bad." Ecclesiastes 12: 13, 14
Without Jesus ... There is no Way, No Truth and No Life and no Heaven ... And This brief stint on this terrestrial ball is the vanity of all vanities. Deactivation without Him is eternal death in a Devil's Hell. Why would we not choose to stand in awe and trust of His sacrifice that opens Eternity for you and me?
Deactivation here ... Reset ... Reactivation There ... Only in Christ.
HLFA,
Jeff