Thursday, May 13, 2010

Consider - Ecclesiastes 7:13-14

"Consider the work of God,
for who is able to straighten what He has bent?
In the day of prosperity be happy,
but in the day of adversity consider -
God has made the one as well as the other."
(Ecclesiastes 7:13-14)

"Consider!"

I'm not sure we ever pause to "consider" enough in these busy days of life. To consider means to stop and to be still and to strive to think God's thoughts after Him instead of wallowing in our own ways and whims.

How often in the days of our lives do we truly stop and meditate on revealed truth rather than running headfirst into felt need? How often do we "consider the work of God"?

Here Solomon challenges us to pause and do just that- particularly regarding the ways of our days.

Two absolute antitheses are laid out here in verses 13 and 14 - the day of prosperity and the day of adversity. No two days could be more diverse yet, clearly, both are said to be the work of God. "He has made the one as well as the other."

How often we love to declare His hand in our triumphs. How rarely we exalt His name in our sorrows. Yet we need to praise His name in both! We need to consider that He has made the one as well as the other and perhaps in the midst of that consideration we would cease from being such whinny little self-centered cry babies (making note to self!!) regarding our current circumstances.

Henry writes:

"To silence our complaints concerning cross events, let us consider the hand of God in them and not open our mouths against that which He is doing. Consider that EVERY act of God is good and wise and that there is an admirable beauty and harmony in His works and that all will appear at last to have been for the best."

What does this day hold for you? Is it a day of prosperity? Then rejoice! Is it a day of adversity? Then consider God's hand in it and rejoice anyway!

Considering the work of God,
Lori

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