SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 5/18/2013
9:14 PM
My Worship Time Focus:
Wisdom Can Make Life Better
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference: Ecclesiastes
7:5-10
Message of the
verses: “The preacher concluded that
though wisdom can’t explain all of life’s mysteries, it can make at least three
positive contributions to our lives.”
The first contribution wisdom can bring to our lives is that it can make
life better for us. We are looking as
four different “better” statements that are found in Ecclesiastes 7:1-10. The first one was looked at yesterday.
Rebuke is better than praise (7:5-6): “5 It is better to listen to the rebuke of a
wise man Than for one to listen to the song of fools. 6 For as the crackling of
thorn bushes under a pot, So is the laughter of the fool; And this too is
futility.” (NASB)
“5 Better to be criticized by a wise person than to be
praised by a fool. 6 A fool’s laughter is quickly gone, like thorns crackling
in a fire. This also is meaningless.” (NLT)
Dr. Wiersbe states that again Solomon uses a play on
words in this section: “In the Hebrew, ‘song’
is skir, ‘pot’ is sir, and ‘throns’ is sirim. If we allow it, a
wise person’s rebuke will accomplish far more in our lives than will the
flattery of fools.”
I like the way the NLT translates these two verses, as it
surely makes it easier to understand.
The Long Haul is better than the shortcut (7:7-9): 7 For oppression makes a wise man mad, And a
bribe corrupts the heart. 8 The end of a matter is better than its beginning;
Patience of spirit is better than haughtiness of spirit. 9 Do not be eager in
your heart to be angry, For anger resides in the bosom of fools.”
“7 Extortion turns
wise people into fools, and bribes
corrupt the heart. 8 Finishing is better than starting. Patience is better than pride. 9 Control your
temper, for anger labels you a fool.”
(NLT)
I think that Proverbs 3:5-6 can be stated here: “5
Trust in the LORD with all your heart And do not lean on your own
understanding. 6 In all your ways
acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight.” We can also add patience in explaining these
two verses from Ecclesiastes.
Dr. Wiersbe writes “Better is the end of a thing than the
beginning’ applies when we are living according to God’s wisdom. The beginning of sin leads to a terrible end—death
(James 1:13-15), but if God is at the beginning of what we do, He will see to
it that we reach the ending successfully.”
This is why I mentioned the verses in Proverbs and the need for patience
and trust in the Lord. Another verse we
can look at is Romans 8:28 “And we know that God causes all things to work
together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to
His purpose.”
Today is better than yesterday (7:10): 10 Do
not say, "Why is it that the former days were better than these?" For
it is not from wisdom that you ask about this.”
“10 Don’t long for
“the good old days.’’ This is not wise.” (NLT)
I like a quote from an old saying that Dr. Wiersbe uses
to help us understand this verse: “It
has been said that ‘the good old days’ are the combination of a bad memory and
a good imagination, and often this is true.”
Solomon is not saying that we cannot learn from the past, for if we are
smart we will learn from the past and not repeat the mistakes we made in the
past. The NLT makes this verse short and
sweet to understand.
Spiritual meaning
for my life today: Learning from the
past and not repeating it is one of the things that I desire to accomplish in
my life.
My Steps of Faith for Today: Proverbs 3:5-6 fists into this section really
well.
Memory verses for the week: 2 Cor. 5:17-19
17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new
creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. 18 Now all these things are from God, who
reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gives us the ministry of
reconciliation, 19 namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to
Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us
the word of reconciliation.
Answer to yesterday’s Bible
Question: “Mary” (Luke 2:48).
Today’s Bible
Question: “Where were Simon and Andrew
fishing when Jesus called them?”
Answer in tomorrow’s SD.
5/18/2013 9:53 PM
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