Time for Many Purposes

“If work has no single, unchanging purpose, perhaps it has a myriad of purposes, each meaningful in its own time.” 

Theology of Work

We search the world for meaning, for purpose, for reasons. When the world does not offer wanted answers, we wonder if God has forgotten us. If we pray to God for meaning, for purpose, for reasons, and He does not respond as we expect, we doubt that God is listening. We crave more and more of the world's tokens, collecting the trophies of greed and pride; yet, we are empty. And still, God calls to us and seeks us ~ wherever we are. God has designed each of us for His purpose, a myriad of purposes.

As the Women’s Bible Study on Ecclesiastes is ending, we have examined Solomon’s words and thoughts, admittedly some are depressing and discouraging. In the beginning chapters there is so much emptiness and futility of life, questions about purpose and meaning. Ecclesiastes in a book in the Bible which really must be read in full to gather its complete intention. God’s gifts of work and purpose are for us to discover, use, and enjoy! Friendships and community bring both joy and security. There are seasons for all cycles of life: from birth to death, from planting to harvest, from youth to old age. All the while the world endlessly seeks to create chaos and doubt. The truth remains that God’s creation is beautiful and full of purpose, and we can never understand the ways God works. At the book’s conclusion, we find a simple response - love God and follow His ways.

Questions, reasonable and ridiculous, will probably always disrupt our thoughts. What kind of God lets me confess what He already knows? What kind of God listens to my petitions when He knows I will fail again? What kind of God forgives my mistakes just because I ask? What kind of God loves more than enough? What kind of God calls me Beloved? Mercy comes quietly and whispers of tender words call ~ My Beloved, you are Mine. You are forgiven. I will never let you go. Now, let's be about My purpose. There's a harvest waiting. I love you. Baruch Hashem Adonai! Blessed be the name of the Lord! What inner peace! Amen. ~dho

The place where God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world's deep hunger meet.  Fredrick Buechner

Enjoy God’s Good Gifts

I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice and to do good in one’s lifetime; moreover, that every man who eats and drinks sees good in all his labor—it is the gift of God. Ecclesiastes 3:12-13

Called to rejoice and do good is to be our response to God’s gift of many opportunities to work, serve, and celebrate. To find joy in living and to contribute to society in positive, valuable ways evolves into treasuring contentment and sharing the fruits of our labor. The Chronological Study Bible reminds, “Do not let what you don’t know about the future destroy the joy God wants to give you today.” How often we focus on the uncertainty of the future and miss the moments of joy God offers in the present.

In studying Ecclesiastes these last weeks, the ladies in our Bible study have wrestled with uncertainty, injustice, and grief. We all would rather have easy answers to our hard questions, live in a society where fairness and justice is always the outcome, and know joy and peace and comfort without disease, disunity, and death. In our search for meaning and purpose in life, the world reaches out with shiny and shallow offerings, and we are enticed. The only thing that anchors us to God is trusting in His unchanging certainty and supreme authority. Blackaby tells us, “Food, drink, laughter, and earthly treasures are all temporary pleasures. But God created us for so much more… Abundant life begins when we submit to Him.” How often we dismiss the absolute Sovereignty of God and forget how necessary our complete dependence on Him must be.

In our personal pursuit of wisdom and meaning and purpose, our journey reveals an emptiness without God, without His provision, protection, and presence. We must accept that we will never understand all that God allows on this earth. Rather, in the middle of the chaos of this crazy world, we need to embrace the goodness of God and the goodness we have been gifted through Him. The Message Study Bible challenges us with this thought, “In the Jerusalem Talmud is a saying: Every man must render an account before God of all the good things he beheld in life and did not enjoy.” This confronts our carelessness. How I long to savor the joy and abundance and goodness God entrusts to me. -dho