THE DAILY FOUNTAIN DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE OF THE CHURCH OF NIGERIA (ANGLICAN COMMUNION)
DATE: THURSDAY, 9TH NOVEMBER, 2023.
TOPIC: CONTENTMENT BRINGS HAPPINESS
TEXT: ECCLESIASTES 3:16-4:END
16. And moreover I saw under the sun the place of judgment, that wickedness was there; and the place of righteousness, that iniquity was there.
17. I said in mine heart, God shall judge the righteous and the wicked: for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.
18. I said in mine heart concerning the estate of the sons of men, that God might manifest them, and that they might see that they themselves are beasts.
19. For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity.
20. All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again.
21. Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth?
22. Wherefore I perceive that there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his own works; for that is his portion: for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him?
4:1. So I returned, and considered all the oppressions that are done under the sun: and behold the tears of such as were oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side of their oppressors there was power; but they had no comforter.
2. Wherefore I praised the dead which are already dead more than the living which are yet alive.
3. Yea, better is he than both they, which hath not yet been, who hath not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.
4. Again, I considered all travail, and every right work, that for this a man is envied of his neighbour. This is also vanity and vexation of spirit.
5. The fool foldeth his hands together, and eateth his own flesh.
6. Better is an handful with quietness, than both the hands full with travail and vexation of spirit.
7. Then I returned, and I saw vanity under the sun.
8. There is one alone, and there is not a second; yea, he hath neither child nor brother: yet is there no end of all his labour; neither is his eye satisfied with riches; neither saith he, For whom do I labour, and bereave my soul of good? This is also vanity, yea, it is a sore travail.
9. Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour.
10. For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up.
11. Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone?
12. And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
13. Better is a poor and a wise child than an old and foolish king, who will no more be admonished.
14. For out of prison he cometh to reign; whereas also he that is born in his kingdom becometh poor.
15. I considered all the living which walk under the sun, with the second child that shall stand up in his stead.
16. There is no end of all the people, even of all that have been before them: they also that come after shall not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and vexation of spirit.
MESSAGE:
Our text begins with a reminder that God will judge every one of us according to how we spend our life here on earth. Both the righteous and the unrighteous, the just and the unjust will be judged. Verse 22 again counsels us that we would do good by enjoying the time and season God allocates to us doing His will while we live.
Chapter 4 encourages us to live a contented life which leads to happiness and that we should find joy in whatever work we do in this passing world. The chapter equally confronts us with the fact that experiencing difficulty like oppression and inequality in certain areas and situations of life should not be strange to us. This is part of the consequences of the fall of man in the Garden of Eden. The writer calls for a quiet and peaceful life by living harmoniously with ourselves and others. This will help us to be happy with a contented life - “... for one's life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses” (Luke 12:15).
Beloved, are you happy and contented with what God has assigned to you in things material and immaterial? If you are not contented, you will never be happy. Only the contented are always happy as they pray and look forward to God taking them to better levels.
PRAYER:
Heavenly Father, please give me the spirit of contentment and with everything You have given me in Jesus' name. Amen.
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