Meditate and consider God’s work.
What do people really get for all their hard
work? I have seen the burden God has placed on us all. Yet God has made
everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human
heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God's work from
beginning to end. So I concluded there is nothing better than to be happy and
enjoy ourselves as long as we can. And people should eat and drink and enjoy
the fruits of their labor, for these are gifts from God. Ecclesiastes
3:9-13
Eat, drink and be happy. I’ve thought that
it isn’t appropriate to seek happiness. Happiness may be a choice as was once
the title of popular book, but actually it can be the effect of lifestyle or result
of successful events in one’s life. People who strive for happiness are often
disappointed when they don’t reach that goal and find themselves in a miserable
situation. It might be better to seek joy—that can be present in one’s life
during the good times or even in disappointing times. Joy is a fruit of the
spirit that can bless a person no matter what is happening to them.
Be happy with those who are happy, and weep
with those who weep. Romans 12:15
…. All who seek the LORD will praise him.
Their hearts will rejoice with everlasting joy. Psalm 22:26
 |
| Fruit - like the Fruit of the Spirit Be joyful. Choose joy, as well as love, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Be joyful. Enjoy life while you can. |
But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of
fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! Galatians
5:22-23
What do people get for their hard work? I
grew up in a farming community where there were a lot of hard workers…and a few
not so hard workers. In the end, they all got the same thing: a burial plot in
the local cemetery. But some of those who were hard workers had nice homes,
nice cars, nice clothes, fun vacations, an orange in their Christmas stocking
and steaks one a week. Others lived in less than ideal situations. Everyone
would eat, drink and enjoy the fruits of their labor—striving for happiness,
but rarely attaining it. What they got for their hard work was blistered hands,
a sore back, a crop that depended on the weather, and a bank account that they
hoped would see them through time to buy seed for the next year and more than
hot dogs for their family. Whether they were hard workers or not, those seeking
joy found it in Christ.
Eat, drink and be happy. Choose “joyful” to
fill your heart for eternity. Enjoy life while you can—it goes by so quickly
and we don’t know when it will be over and Christ will return.
Prayer
~ Lord, fill us with Your joy—Your everlasting joy.
Verses
of Salvation ~ Then Jesus explained: "My nourishment comes from doing the
will of God, who sent me, and from finishing his work. You know the saying,
'Four months between planting and harvest.' But I say, wake up and look around.
The fields are already ripe for harvest. The harvesters are paid good wages,
and the fruit they harvest is people brought to eternal life. What joy awaits
both the planter and the harvester alike! You know the saying, 'One plants and
another harvests.' And it's true. I sent you to harvest where you didn't plant;
others had already done the work, and now you will get to gather the
harvest." John 4:34-38
©
2020 Text, photos and paintings by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.
Unless
otherwise indicated, all scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation,
copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of
Tyndale House
Publishers, Inc. Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
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