All is Vanity: Ecclesiastes 9
But all this I laid to heart says the Preacher at the start of chapter nine. All this is a fancy way of saying, “let’s pause and go back a few steps before bounding ahead”—back to the end of chapter…
All is Vanity: Ecclesiastes 8
The Preacher starts out this chapter with two questions:“Who is like the wise?” and“Who knows the interpretation of a thing?” After the concluding thought in chapter seven, that God made man upright, but they have sought out many schemes (7:29),…
All is Vanity: Ecclesiastes 7, Pt 1
The wisest man to walk the earth penned the Proverbs, a book of wisdom, and Ecclesiastes, this sermon-style book. The Preacher, he called himself, spends much of Chapter 7 contrasting wisdom and folly, and inevitably pointing us to the One…
All is Vanity: Ecclesiastes 5
The Preacher’s sermon is getting serious. Seriously. Guard your steps when you go to the house of God (5:1a). That’s some fear-talk, the fear of the Lord. Like a lens exposing our sin and our filth—we’d much rather talk of…
All is Vanity: Ecclesiastes 4
The tears of the oppressed were seen by the wise Preacher, and there was none to comfort them (4:1). Chapter four of Ecclesiastes is quite the hard pill to swallow. Beholding the evil of our world we are quick to…
All is Vanity: Ecclesiastes 3
There is a time for everything, says the Preacher. But I’d dare say that we don’t like to live in such a head-space, not when the time is for pain, for sorrow, for loss… It would do our souls good…
All is Vanity: Ecclesiastes 2
The Preacher said in his heart, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure: enjoy yourself.” He searched with his heart how to cheer his body and how to lay hold of folly till he might see what was good…
All is Vanity: Ecclesiastes 1
The words of the Preacher, the wisest man to walk the face of the earth, begin with the line, “Vanity of Vanities”. The root Hebrew word transliterates to mean a mist, a vapor. It denotes the transient, short span of…
The Philippians 1 Prayer
I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. And I am…
An Easter Reflection: Considering Jesus
Reclined in a worn-out heapWrestling with the me that needs to fleeTo find the fullness of Life… I hear the Spirit’s voiceUrging me onDo not grow weary in doing goodDo not let your heart be troubled Tear-stained eyes look up…
