anglican devotional
The Daily Fountain Devotional of the Church Of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) 25 November 2023 – The End Of The Matter
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TOPIC: The End Of The Matter
READ: Ecclesiastes 12 (NKJV)
Remember now your Creator in the days of your youth, Before the difficult days come, And the years draw near when you say, “I have no pleasure in them”:
While the sun and the light, The moon and the stars, Are not darkened, And the clouds do not return after the rain;
In the day when the keepers of the house tremble, And the strong men bow down; When the grinders cease because they are few, And those that look through the windows grow dim;
When the doors are shut in the streets, And the sound of grinding is low; When one rises up at the sound of a bird, And all the daughters of music are brought low;
Also they are afraid of height, And of terrors in the way; When the almond tree blossoms, The grasshopper is a burden, And desire fails. For man goes to his eternal home, And the mourners go about the streets.
[Remember your Creator] before the silver cord is loosed, Or the golden bowl is broken, Or the pitcher shattered at the fountain, Or the wheel broken at the well.
Then the dust will return to the earth as it was, And the spirit will return to God who gave it.
“Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher, “All [is] vanity.”
And moreover, because the Preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yes, he pondered and sought out [and] set in order many proverbs.
The Preacher sought to find acceptable words; and [what was] written [was] upright — words of truth.
The words of the wise are like goads, and the words of scholars are like well-driven nails, given by one Shepherd.
And further, my son, be admonished by these. Of making many books [there is] no end, and much study [is] wearisome to the flesh.
Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, For this is man’s all.
For God will bring every work into judgment, Including every secret thing, Whether good or evil.
THE MESSAGE:
The writer of Ecclesiastes never twisted the truth – he pointed out in this concluding chapter that too much study could be harmful, especially if it goes beyond the truth taught by God through His words. Concluding his long speech, he unfolded the basic responsibility of everyone to fear God and obey His commandments, for all shall be answerable to God in the end for everything we do. Young people were reminded that the youthful age will not last forever; the time will pass by and old age shall surely come when the desire for earthly pleasures will virtually disappear. God who gave life will take it back; life would have run its course but man will be answerable to God to receive the reward of what he/she has done.
Brethren, when you fear the Lord, you flee from evil and all its appearances. Joseph demonstrated this fear of God in the house of his Egyptian master, Potiphar; he didn’t only see sleeping with his master’s wife as sin against his master but as a great wickedness against God. Because Joseph feared the Lord, he kept himself away from the sinful act. When you fear the Lord, you keep away from wickedness, unfaithfulness, immorality and injustice. Solomon as an experienced man who had tasted life, touched almost every aspect of life as revealed in this book, submitted that in life, the whole duty of man is to fear the Lord and keep His commandments because God will bring every deed into judgment, and every secret will be revealed. Beloved, let every aspect of your life be guided by the fear of God and let His precepts always be your delight.
PRAYER: Lord, give me a new and contrite heart to fear and obey You in Jesus’ name. Amen.
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