On the Way to Wonder

In Chapter 6 of Ecclesiastes, the Teacher, whom many consider to be King Solomon, now turns to comparing a dissatisfied life of a wealthy person to the inexperienced life of a stillborn child.  The wealthy person who has been blessed with goods does not enjoy them and he might have a vast family but then at the point of death, he does not receive a proper burial.  The Teacher concludes that this person is no better than a stillborn child who never experienced the struggles of life but will experience eternity.  Certainly for many good life is measured by the size of family and the size of wealth. We all, if pushed to the wall, would probably  consider the triple digit income more desirable than welfare.

 The Teacher, though, is talking about someone who would have been considered wealthy by Old Testament standards.  The book of Job is a lesson for all of us as we see his wealth and family wiped out.  Friends arrive to grieve with him and engage in a conversation about the causes of suffering.  I suppose the unwritten story behind blessings of the wealthy is that this person managed wealth wisely and was a good provider for the large family.  In  Kenya where poligamy was practiced, it was not uncommon to hear that someone was the 27th child and a child of the third wife.  Children were needed to care for the cattle and the fields.  Poligamony was ok.  Besides this, all citizens were considered the children of the President or King.  I was once severely reprimanded when I asked a woman in the village how many children she had.  The room became silent as it was explained to me that children were a gift from God and you would not ask an American how much money was in their bank account and you DO NOT ask how many children a woman has. It might be similar to King David sending Joab to count how many eligible soldiers David had in his kingdom.  So again the Teacher is not speaking to size of wealth but to the ability to appreciate and be satisfied.

The phrase that caught my eye in reading and rereading this chapter was the phrase that the wealthy person “does not receive a proper burial.”  I’ve noticed on my return to the States that many of my aging friends are in groups that have “a memorial service” when a loved one dies, whereas I am part of a group that has “a funeral service,” with open mic during the reception for people to share fond memories.  I think there is no right or wrong way to do this tradition.  But I do think it raises the question of asking ourselves how we would like to be remembered when that day comes.  Do we want our orbituary to read like our resume?  Or what character traits would we like our friends and family to remember about us?  Let’s take a moment and write down three characteristics we would like our life to be remembered for.

Lord, help us to continue to grow in these areas and to value the relationships we have more than the tasks we seek to accomplish.  May we have an attitude of gratitude for your blessings. 

The Teacher finishes chapter 5 of Ecclesiastes by looking further into the some of the quagmires of wealth.  He has said that with the blessing of wealth can come the problem of sleepless nights due to worry and the hunt for that “one more dollar” to be satisfied.  Now he notes that many who accumulate wealth may pile it up not knowing what financial challenges may be in the future.  But then the stock market crashes, recession, war or any number of unexpected crises enter and that wealth for the future is eaten by the need of the present.  We might glibly say, “You can’t take it with you.”  We are born naked and we die naked.  The Teacher calls this “a grievous evil”.  That which we work so hard to accumulate we may never get to enjoy nor will to others.  That tension between having enough to be comfortable and having a buffer for the future is a hard balancing act.  He is looking at the ups and downs of life and not the circles of life.

In Chapter 3:13 we saw that the Teacher talked about when all of us are faced with the circles of life, turn-turn-turn, that the “gift of God” is the ability to find satisfaction in our toil.  He ends chapter 5:18 with the same conclusion.

  18 This is what I have observed to be good: that it is appropriate for a person to eat, to drink and to find satisfaction in their toilsome labor under the sun during the few days of life God has given them—for this is their lot. 19 Moreover, when God gives someone wealth and possessions, and the ability to enjoy them, to accept their lot and be happy in their toil—this is a gift of God. 

The cycles of life can lead us to feel like we are running on a treadmill with the hamster.  On the treadmill we experience the ups and downs of life in our endless task of having enough wealth to make life work.  It can defeat us also.  So what is the secret?

  I notice that in each conclusion, the Teacher uses the phrase “God has given” or “ God gives.”  The ability to appreciate the “giftedness” of life is important.  Others may not appreciate our talents, our assets, or our point of view but gauging the success of my life on the reactions of others is like riding a roller coaster.  The Teacher is clear that ultimately there is a God walking with us through the events of our lives, running beside us on the treadmill that turn, turn, turns and riding with us as our boats navigate the waves and hurricanes life sends us.  

Let’s use the image of the wave to represent the ups and downs we face.  When events are leading us to new highs, what might we praise God for?  When events seem to be sending us crashing what sort of prayer do we need to generate?  Ask the Holy Spirit if there is someone you might pray for today as that person faces the ups and downs of life.

The Teacher in the second half of Ecclesiastes 5 now turns his wisdom to pondering corruption.  It is not surprising, he concludes that all levels of the food chain favor the rich on top and create the poor on the bottom as each level of responsibility takes their “cut.” That is life for sure. He laments,

“Whoever loves money never has enough;
    whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income.
    This too is meaningless.”

As goods increase,
    so do those who consume them.
And what benefit are they to the owners
    except to feast their eyes on them?

The sleep of a laborer is sweet,
    whether they eat little or much,
but as for the rich, their abundance
    permits them no sleep.”

  Ecclesiastes 5: 10-12

Did I hear an “amen” sighed?  Somehow the end of the month that brings in the bills is always challenging as we consider the scales balancing our assets and deficits, not to mention the bills we anticipate for the future – college for kids, medical, house payments and hopefully a restful vacation. 

Corruption, the Teacher concludes is meaningless, as our “wants” always exceed our “haves.”  Focusing ourselves on those who are “richer” than ourselves always leads to dissatisfaction.  So what does give us a good nights sleep as that is possible for the rich and the poor? We can all sleep peacefully but many don’t.  I would suggest the reason for poor sleep rests in our ability to rest our cares in the hand of God.  How?  I have heard that one way is having a notepad by our bed and if our minds keep chewing on our favorite topics of concern, be that worries or grudges, write it on the pad, like an email to the “boss.”  Another person said they keep a box by their bed and they lock that paper in the box for safe keeping til tomorrow.  I start praying for my kids, grandkids, friends, people facing problems and suddenly I’ve relaxed been sleeping.

When my daughter was 5 months old I used to walk with her and lament my loss of sleep.  My neighbor had a tiny baby and was walking our porch.  I introduced myself and asked how old his tiny tot was.  I was shocked to learn the baby had a chromosome defect and needed to be fed all the time so he and his wife took turns walking with the little tyke.  He shared that he had learned that it didn’t matter really how much sleep he got but what he did with those hours of care.  Worry drained them.  I have never forgot.

I love Psalm 121

I lift up my eyes to the mountains—
    where does my help come from?
2 My help comes from the Lord,
    the Maker of heaven and earth.

3 He will not let your foot slip—
    he who watches over you will not slumber;
4 indeed, he who watches over Israel
    will neither slumber nor sleep.

5 The Lord watches over you—
    the Lord is your shade at your right hand;
6 the sun will not harm you by day,
    nor the moon by night.

7 The Lord will keep you from all harm—
    he will watch over your life;
8 the Lord will watch over your coming and going
    both now and forevermore.

First Reading: Ezekiel 17:22-24

22Thus says the Lord God:

I myself will take a sprig from the lofty top of a cedar;

  I will set it out.

 I will break off a tender one

  from the topmost of its young twigs;

 I myself will plant it

  on a high and lofty mountain.

 23On the mountain height of Israel I will plant it,

 in order that it may produce boughs and bear fruit,

  and become a noble cedar.

 Under it every kind of bird will live;

  in the shade of its branches will nest

  winged creatures of every kind.

 24All the trees of the field shall know that I am the Lord.

 I bring low the high tree,

  I make high the low tree;

 I dry up the green tree

  and make the dry tree flourish.

 I the Lord have spoken; I will accomplish it.

Psalm: Psalm 92:1-4, 12-15

The righteous shall spread abroad like a cedar of Lebanon. (Ps. 92:12)

 1It is a good thing to give thanks to the Lord,

  to sing praise to your name, O Most High;

 2to herald your love in the morning

  and your faithfulness at night;

 3on the psaltery, and on the lyre,

  and to the melody of the harp.

 4For you have made me glad by your acts, O Lord;

  and I shout for joy because of the works of your hands. 

 12The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree,

  and shall spread abroad like a cedar of Lebanon.

 13Those who are planted in the house of the Lord

  shall flourish in the courts of our God;

 14they shall still bear fruit in old age;

  they shall be green and succulent;

 15that they may show how upright the Lord is,

  my rock, in whom there is no injustice. 

Second Reading: 2 Corinthians 5:6-10 [11-13] 14-17

6So we are always confident; even though we know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord—7for we walk by faith, not by sight. 8Yes, we do have confidence, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. 9So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him. 10For all of us must appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each may receive recompense for what has been done in the body, whether good or evil.

  [11Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we try to persuade others; but we ourselves are well known to God, and I hope that we are also well known to your consciences. 12We are not commending ourselves to you again, but giving you an opportunity to boast about us, so that you may be able to answer those who boast in outward appearance and not in the heart. 13For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. ] 14For the love of Christ urges us on, because we are convinced that one has died for all; therefore all have died. 15And he died for all, so that those who live might live no longer for themselves, but for him who died and was raised for them.

 16From now on, therefore, we regard no one from a human point of view; even though we once knew Christ from a human point of view, we know him no longer in that way. 17So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new!

Gospel: Mark 4:26-34

26[Jesus] said, “The kingdom of God is as if someone would scatter seed on the ground,27and would sleep and rise night and day, and the seed would sprout and grow, he does not know how. 28The earth produces of itself, first the stalk, then the head, then the full grain in the head. 29But when the grain is ripe, at once he goes in with his sickle, because the harvest has come.”

 30He also said, “With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable will we use for it?31It  is like a mustard seed, which, when sown upon the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth; 32yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes the greatest of all shrubs, and puts forth large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade.”

 33With many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear it; 34he did not speak to them except in parables, but he explained everything in private to his disciples.

Children’s Sermon. Today I want to pull up an old nursery story that actually was made into a film “Jack and the Beanstalk” in 2009 and showed again in 2013 as “Jack the Giant Slayer.” Versions of the tale go back to 1734!  But for this sermon, let me simplify the story line.  A poor boy is sent to town with the family cow to sell for food and he trades it for some magic beans.  The mother throws them out the window and a giant beanstalk grows.  Jack climbs the beanstalk three times.  He discovers treasures at the top in the house of a giant who says, “Fee, Fi, Foo, Fum, I smell the blood of an English man.  Be he alive or be he dead, I’ll grind his bones to make my bread.”  That’s a bit scary, huh.  The first trip the boy brings back gold coins.  The second time he brings home a goose that lays a golden egg.  The third time he brings home a talking harp.  He then grabs his ax and chops down the beanstalk, killing the giant.

It seems to me that the magic beans are like the seeds sown in our Gospel.  The seeds are planted in our hearts.  As we climb the beanstalk of faith in our journey of Pentecost we gain treasures that bless our lives, each one better than the last.  But there is always a giant, the Evil One who is trying to defeat us.  At the harvest, a sickle will be put to the beanstalk and the Evil One will be destroyed.  Those who sell their cow for not magic-beans but faith-beans will live in eternity with the creator.  Let’s see if we can make this modern day tale share eternal truth!

Let us pray.  Lord may the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in your sight, my Rock and my Redeemer.

SERMON

During Pentecost we look at how our faith impacts our lives as we live in relationship to the God we learned about in the first half of the church year.  That God is creator, creating around and within us.  That God incarnates and comes to our world to live with us and save us.  And that God is Spirit, hovering in our souls today. We understand God to be the Three-in-One. Faith is not just a significant moment when we believe and trade a cow for magic beans.  Faith begins a journey of transformation as we are “sanctified”, to use the big theological word, to describe how we will grow from that moment when the God of the universe like wind blew into our lives and called us into relationship, called us to turn to him with our problems.  Trading cows for magic beans is a dicey decision that many will laugh at.  Many voices call to us today about our lives.  Christianity believes that when we trade our worldly  assets for the unseen treasures in the heavenlies, when we trust the words of Jesus, we start a journey of transformation.  We call it salvation and today we talk about that journey.

      At the beginning of chapter four of Mark, Jesus has explained the parable of the four types of soil that receive the seeds planted by the sower.  He explained that  the seed is the word of God that is thrown out by the farmer, God.  Our parable today continues in this line of thinking and talks about the growth of the garden, the kingdom of God, but there are some twists that make me think of our tale, “Jack and the Beanstalk.”

      “The kingdom of God is as if someone would scatter seed on the ground,27and would sleep and rise night and day, and the seed would sprout and grow, he does not know how.“

God, the farmer, scatters seed on the ground but Mark adds the interesting detail that there is no master plan about how that seed is going to grow.  Mark does not mention details about the care of the garden.  In fact the owner seems distant and on a trip like other parables.  We do not read about workers in the field.  We do not read about fertilizer and care.  We do not read about prayer and fasting.  There is no moral judgment about whether the soil is good or bad.  We just read that someone scatters seeds.  Jack’s mother throws the beans out the kitchen window and they grow.   

      God sends out his word indiscriminately.  We do not need to be good or needy or praying or doing whatever to receive the word of God. God spreads his Word to anyone and everyone, not because we are good, not because we are good soil, and not because we are special.  God’s word is spread because God is good and he is generous.  He knows his word will land on four types of soil.  Some soil will be hardened but that does not stop God.  He loves all soils and gardens.  He loves Bethany’s Garden.

      From the parable of the mustard seed we learn part of the value of the seed.  It grows into a tree or large bush that blesses and shelters the birds of the air.  Yes, he scatters the seed generously but he does not spread the seed without hope.  He wants a harvest.  He wants plants to grow and he wants those plants to shelter his creation.  It may feel like the times you hear the word of God are random but when that word takes root in your heart, God is beginning to work in your life.  He does not share the seed just so you can feel good and cozy.  God is building a kingdom and you are his person.

       God does not micromanage the growth of the seed.  According to the parable, night and day the farmer goes about his business while the seed grows.  It feels to me like there is a sense of partnership.  The tiny mustard seed is growing into what it was designed to be.  The plant grows in phases.  First a stalk sprouts up. Then a head forms.  Lastly the full grain forms and matures.   

I’d like to have a little fun with the fairy tale.  Jack does not just look at this plant in his yard anymore than we, by keeping a Bible on our coffee table, contribute to our spiritual growth.  Jack climbs the beanstalk.  I do not want to make this sound like works but faith is a journey and is a growing relationship.  As young Christians we start to interact with our unseen spiritual partner by developing spiritual disciples like reading the Word, going to worship, sharing, helping, praying and discovering our talents. But these spiritual habits are a bit dodgy. We are not always consistent and we encounter hills and valleys.  It might be compared to Jack’s  first trip up the beanstalk when he returns with some gold coins. 

 Climbing that beanstalk the first time has blessed him with coins but he has also learned a lesson.  There is a giant at the top of the beanstalk who wants to kill him.  As young Christians we learn about spiritual warfare with evil, about withstanding temptations, and harder lessons like forgiveness.  Some believers stay “carnal Christians” needing to be fed milk and never learn to eat meat.  We can stay like a small child throwing a temper tantrum when we don’t get what we want from God and we can become frustrated when the formulas we form for how to live life don’t work and we can stall in our spiritual growth.  Like Jack, as we first start our journey of faith, we gather some coins that help us live but often life then calls us to another trip up the beanstalk, digging deeper into the Word and learning to apply it. For me that started when we left all the security of life in America and went to live in a famine relief camp in Kenya.  Suddenly I was challenged to communicate faith and live with people who lived on the verge of starvation.  We might say baby Christians are in the “stalk” phase of faith when they are  young and forming new disciplines.  Faith is like coins in our heart that we spend when needed.

Jack makes a second trip up the beanstalk and again encounters the giant but this time returns home with a goose that lays a golden egg. Faith is not just hard principles we apply to life like those coins but faith is living, interactive and dynamic.   I’d like to think that this is when faith begins to become part of us and we no longer are breaking bad habits from our former life but we are becoming comfortable with the rhymes of our faith journey.  Perhaps times of meditation are becoming normal.  We know which hymns or music to turn to when we need encouragement.  Prayer is becoming a regular part of our life.  We have developed a friendship group of trusted advisors who we can go to when we feel the giant chasing us. We might say our faith is not just a stalk we cling to in times of trouble but has become a head defining us.   It seems though that there is always a growing edge to our faith journey.

Jack makes a third trip up the beanstalk and encounters the giant yet again but this time returns home with an enchanted harp that can speak truth to him.  We can use our imaginations now and compare that harp to our growing ability to interact with the Holy Spirit as our faith speaks into our lives.  I do not understand “the gift of the Holy Spirit,” to be only speaking in tongues and therefore  a sign of salvation or a spiritual tool for some.  As Lutherans we believe that the Holy Spirit comes at the moment of faith or baptism.  The Spirit is not additional but is always present with us and available to us but we grow in our ability to hear the Spirit speaking and leading us.  We grow in our marriages, in our friendships, in our jobs and in our faith.  We have moved beyond stalk and head to becoming a full grain. 

The parable indicates that the seed that is thrown out by God is always growing even as the kingdom of God is always growing whether we see it or not.  It is growing within us and around us.  God gives life and God intends for us to grow.  Likewise the little mustard seed will grow into a great bush.  The disciples needed to hear that as I’m sure they felt like a little seed in their world and we need to hear that God is using our small deeds to make a mighty kingdom that will shelter many.

Perhaps this is the point when we reflect and ask ourselves if we are “stage appropriate.”  Am I mature physically but a child spiritually needing to be fed a bottle of milk, only happy when God’s word blesses me?  We can act like that child throwing a temper tantrum in the grocery store when Mom does not buy the cereal we want.  It is embarrassing.  God offers us his word but it is up to us to eat and digest and as we grow the kingdom grows.

31It is like a mustard seed, which, when sown upon the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth; 32yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes the greatest of all shrubs, and puts forth large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade.”

Mark gives us a second parable this morning in our text.  He compares the kingdom of God, not to a beanstalk, but to a mustard seed.  It starts as a small seed but grows into a large bush that shelters the birds.  How interesting that he does not compare the kingdom to the Cedars of Lebanon or to a beautiful flower.  He compares the kingdom to a rather scruffy plant that grows in lots of environments, is hard to root out, and which is used in multiple ways to bless people.  It is medicinal.  It is good for flavoring food.

That plant produces fruit. Those original disciples impacted their world.  We do not know the end of the ripple when we throw a rock in a pool of water.  Even as a cruel word cannot be taken back and produces great pain, an act of love multiplies.  The Chinese say the flap of a butterfly’s wing affects the wind around the world.  God’s plan is to produce a kingdom, not our wealth and happiness.  Let us not be fooled.  Growth is unseen, occurs in phases, and is meant to produce a kingdom under God’s principles. Jack’s treasures help him be a meaningful person in his family and world.

Growth is about community.  The mustard seed grows into a bush that offers a place for birds to nest and rest.  Bethany’s Garden produces food that impacts our whole area and draws people together in community.  Sharing the fruits of our faith is certainly blessing but I think this parable also says there is the blessing of sheltering and protecting others until the seeds can work in their lives.  Just a thought.

Our more modern parable adds the reality of “the giant” that wants to stop Jack. Jesus does not address the Evil One in this parable but in other parables he talks about weeds being planted at night and growing with the good seeds.  Evil will coexist with good until the harvest. 

29But when the grain is ripe, at once he goes in with his sickle, because the harvest has come.”

      The seed grows and matures and then there is a day when the farmer realizes it is time to harvest.  The parable says clearly, “when the grain is ripe, at once he goes in with his sickle, because the harvest has come.”  Ouch.  That’s hard to hear.  We don’t want to think of a day of accounting.  We prefer to focus on the love of God for everyone.  What that will look like is not shared but the parable says there will be a day of harvest.  The beanstalk will be chopped down, not by Jack but by God.

          The harvest is a natural event that is dependent on when the farmer knows it is time.  Death is never welcome and we would like to think that one more day or year would be nice but the farmer makes the decision on when to harvest.  The harvest in this parable is not the farmer going through his garden and picking and choosing which plant to pick but I would understand it to be more like the end of the growing season.  It is not personal but it is inevitable.  Some plants will be ready and others will not be quite so ripe. We have been warned.  Are we listening?

     
P. S.

 33With many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear it;

Interestingly, Mark adds a post script after these two parables.  I love it.  Jesus spoke in parables in ways the people could understand.  From our early ages we learn the fairy tales of our culture. These stories teach us great truths in simple stories even young children can love and cherish.  Mark adds that Jesus spoke to his hearers as they “were able to hear.”  God knows we are simple people like Jack working in a world of want and chased by giants in our adventures.  Jesus shares “as we are able.”  He is not comparing us to the Biblical heroes but sees us as we are, seeds growing into a mighty bush that shall shelter God’s kingdom.

During Pentecost we ask ourselves how the truths of these parables apply to our lives.  God has generously blessed us with his word.  Are we growing in our ability to use it?  Are we stage appropriate in our spiritual growth or are we waiting like a child wanting our own way?  It is easy to forget that others might be just in the stalk phase of spiritual growth.  We can mistake spiritual immaturity for insult.  May we be gentle with others and with ourselves. There will be a harvest someday, perhaps sooner than later, but our prayer is that we will faithfully grow where God has planted us, caring for those God has put in our midst, and giving him the glory. 

Thank you Lord for working with us.

Let the people of God say, “Amen!”

Psalm 92 (O Most High) Lyric Video

Tomorrow the psalm of the day is Psalm 92.  It opens with, “It is good to praise the Lord.”

• I can rejoice at the work of his hands: sunrises, sunsets, laughing children, faithful pets and friends.
• I can rejoice at the wisdom of his Word: beautiful psalms, wisdom literature, exciting tales of the defeat of evil, and stories of lives changed, healed and resurrected.
• I can rejoice that evil will be defeated: God will bring justice for the oppressed, suffering is temporary, God’s enemies will perish.
• I can rejoice that the righteous are blessed into old age.

V. 15  they declare, “The Lord is upright; he is my Rock and there is no wickedness in him.”

Let us listen to this psalm and prepare our hearts for tomorrow.

Yesterday the Teacher warned us to listen when we enter the presence of God and not to use a lot of empty words.  He further defines this thought today as he continues and warns us about make verbal promises, vows, to God.

4 When you make a vow to God, do not delay to fulfill it. He has no pleasure in fools; fulfill your vow. 5 It is better not to make a vow than to make one and not fulfill it.

The Teacher continues by saying it would be better to not make a vow rather than vow and not fulfill the promise.  A vow is a solemn promise to do something.  It reminds me of our poor track record with marriage vows.  About 43% of first time marriages for both ends in divorce, 60% of second marriages fail and 73% of third marriages end in divorce.  At the same time we soon realize that New Year’s resolutions seldom last th whole year .  I listened to a high school graduation speaker recently and all those youthful promises of being friends forever.  I could feel the cynicism in my heart.  Scams somehow sneak into our computers.  Politicians offer what they cannot deliver.  Oh my.  Are there people of integrity that we can trust.

The Teacher reminds us that God is a being of integrity who keeps his promises and does not idly threaten us.  When we bring our concerns to God, we are not chatting with a friend over coffee.  So let us pray today for all those who have been burned by schemes, by false promises, by wedding vows gone sour and hurt by the betrayal of friends.  Lord, lay your healing hand on those wounds that make it so hard to trust again.  And, Lord, help us to be people of integrity so that we can be trusted to keep our word.  May our “yes” be yes and our “no” be no.  Thank you for forgiveness for the times we fail.

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

Two are better than one,
    because they have a good return for their labor:
10 If either of them falls down,
    one can help the other up.
But pity anyone who falls
    and has no one to help them up.
11 Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm.
    But how can one keep warm alone?
12 Though one may be overpowered,
    two can defend themselves.
A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

The Teacher tackles the topic of aloneness.  He bemoans a person without a spouse or without a child to inherit the fruit of his or her labor.  He realizes it is double trouble because not only does a person not have someone to share profits with but the person also does not have the companionship that comes from marriage or friendship.  He calls it not only meaningless but also “a miserable business.”

Friendship is a blessing. Besides companionship, friends are there to help us when we have trouble, pick us up when we fall down, and a source of physical warmth when it is cold.  Take a moment and name a couple of your friends.  Can you name three ways that they bless you with their friendship?  Perhaps you might send them an affirmation of what they mean in your life.  Most people like to get a thank you note or a surprise email or a flower or even a smile and a verbal affirmation, “I appreciate…!”  thank you, Lord, that you no longer call us servants but call us friends. 

13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. John 15:13

15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. John 15:15

Chapter 4 of Ecclesiastes ends with the Teacher pointing out that a poor youth who is wise is better than an old king who is foolish.  I immediately thought of David who ascended to the throne from being a shepherd, following Saul, the first king of Israel.  The contrast between the two men was obvious in their trajectory of their life stories that we read about in the books of 1&2 Kings and 1&2 Samuel.  But then the Teacher laments that the youth who became king was opposed by later followers.  I wonder if he is thinking about David’s son Absolum who tried to steal the throne from his father.  Political intrigue plagued David’s life.  The Teacher summarizes, ”This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.”

It is interesting to read this paragraph because we who can look back on the records of Saul, David and Solomon as kings also read about the hand of God working in these mens’ lives.  The part I find interesting is that David who was obviously a flawed character, a warrior with blood on his hands, adultery with Bathsheba and then orchestrated her husband’s death, and yes the conflict with his son Absolum is also called and known as  “A  Man after God’s own Heart.”  God obviously did not gauge David by his good and bad deeds but by his love for God and his deep repentance when confronted with his sin.  

David is a “rags to riches” story that we love to hear but more important than his social and political accomplishments (and failures) was the integrity with which he handled his spiritual life. I find hope that God is a being who cares about the real me and not just my resume and that he somehow does not give up on me, even in my darkest hours. 

Perhaps today you are weighed down by a past stage in your life that you wish you could erase or perhaps you struggle with a habit that just seems to keep defeating you, the Biblical greats had struggles too and God worked with them.  Let us pray for people struggling with addictions, people who must live with the results of the foolish choices they made, and those who struggle with mental illness.  Lord, have mercy on us in our weakness.

5 Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Go near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong.

2 Do not be quick with your mouth,
    do not be hasty in your heart
    to utter anything before God.
God is in heaven
    and you are on earth,
    so let your words be few.

3 A dream comes when there are many cares,
    and many words mark the speech of a fool.

Ecclesiastes 5:1-3

A saying from Uganda says, “One who talks, thinks; but one who keeps silent, thinks more.”  We might advise a person to think before the person acts.  The Teacher changes his tone at the beginning of chapter five of Ecclesiastes.  We are advised to listen when we approach the God of the universe.

I hate to think of just how many times have I spoken hastily and regretted my harshness and have had to ask forgiveness?  I don’t know how many times but I do know I am guilty. Unfortunately, my kids remember too.  The Teacher reasons that just as when we are worried we often have trouble sleeping and rehearse the speech for the next day for that person who misunderstood us or perhaps we have to face that angry child, the student who just doesn’t seem to get the point,so in the same way too many words “mark the speech of a fool.”  During this season of political speeches, we tire of all the words and doubt the promises.

Let us read these verses again and pray for the grace to calm our hearts and listen when we are in the presence of the Holy – be that at church, walking in nature, or listening to our music.  Lord, give us ears to hear and help us guard our mouths.

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

Two are better than one,
    because they have a good return for their labor:

10 If either of them falls down,
    one can help the other up.
But pity anyone who falls
    and has no one to help them up.

11 Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm.
    But how can one keep warm alone?

12 Though one may be overpowered,
    two can defend themselves.
A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

The Teacher tackles the topic of aloneness.  He bemoans a person without a spouse or without a child to inherit the fruit of his or her labor.  He realizes it is double trouble because not only does a person not have someone to share profits with but the person also does not have the companionship that comes from marriage or friendship.  He calls it not only meaningless but also “a miserable business.”

Friendship is a blessing. Besides companionship, friends are there to help us when we have trouble, pick us up when we fall down, and a source of physical warmth when it is cold.  Take a moment and name a couple of your friends.  Can you name three ways that they bless you with their friendship?  Perhaps you might send them an affirmation of what they mean in your life.  Most people like to get a thank you note or a surprise email or a flower or even a smile and a verbal affirmation, “I appreciate…!”  thank you, Lord, that you no longer call us servants but call us friends. 

13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. John 15:13

15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. John 15:15