Crazy World

I read Ecclesiastes 1 during my Quiet Time
yesterday, and it hit me that I have been feeling this sense of vanity that Solomon is talking about.

He talks about the natural world going on while man labors, then is gone like the wind. He says that nothing is new.
He says that what is crooked cannot be made straight.

With everything going on right now- Corona, the government and media feeding our fear, wondering if this is the begining of Revelation or will things "calm back down", the hate and fear being spread by different groups rallying for different lives that matter- while simultaneously cheering and voting for the murder of unborn babies, children being sold and traded for sex- even infants!

My heart is heavy with the hurt. With the pain. With the longing of knowing what awaits in forever with Jesus. And while I look around and wish for Jesus to come back right now- I also hesitate- knowing that the reason He is waiting is because He doesn't desire any to perish. He is drawing yet more people to Himself.

I want that. There are people I love dearly who still do not know Him. I want them to know Him. I want to shine His light for others to see. I want people to look at me and think 'Man, I want what she has!' Not because I'm great, or perfect, or have it all together- I am reminded daily that I dont!
But because He is GOOD.
Because He LOVES.
Because He PURSUES.
Because His utmost desire is fellowship with us!

A friend once asked me how I described the meaning of life. I replied, "Learning to dance with our King." As whimsical as that sounds- I still believe it. Dancing is hard. It requires relationship. Trust. Long hours practicing. Working through the pain. Knowing that in the end, the result is worth it.

Isnt that like us and Abba? Life if hard. My relationship with Jesus isnt always easy- not because He isnt the perfect leader, but because I am the imperfect follower. I can tend to look at the world around me and lose focus on the One who is leading me, and then, much like Peter, I begin to sink. Vanity, vanity. All is vanity.

It requires trust- me learning to trust my Abba, even in the hard around me, knowing that His leading is sure. Knowing I can entrust my heart, my soul, my life- every fiber of my being, to Him.

Long hours practicing- it takes commitment- like any relationship. It takes communion with Him, listening, talking, responding, digging into His Word. I cant know Him better unless I put forth the effort and time to do so.

Working through the pain- and there will be pain. There will be heartache. But we do not persevere without Hope! He is the Hope that dwells within us! The Reason that even though life is hard and there is chaos all around- we can have joy. We can love well. We know that this earth is not our home- it is just an introduction- a taste of fellowship with the One who died for all. He died so that we may live! All we have to do is accept His gift! And how could we not, knowing that He bled, died, and rose again- for us! He didnt need to for His own sake- He is God and does not need us- but He did this because of His love for us!

 I can trust my Abba, who time and time again has proven His love... in the good times. In the hard times. In the in between.

And in times like these, where the world seems to be going crazy, I put my focus on Him, and let Him lead.

The greatest of these is Love. Love for God, and love for one another.

He may lead you in love to stand for the unborn.

He may lead you in love to stand for children slaves.

He may lead you in love to stand for.....

It will look different for each of us. But we can trust that He does lead in LOVE.

Solomon ends his book of vanity with this conclusion- "Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man's all. For God will bring every work into judgement, including every secret thing, whether good or evil." (12:13-14)

I can rest knowing that God is keeping the books. He sees. He will judge. In the meantime, I just need to keep my focus on Him, and trust in His leading.