Selah2020: Pause and Reflect

[This reflection by Michael Goble was published in the weekly news bulletin of Horley Baptist Church, 09/Mar/2025]

During recent Thursday group meetings we have been taking an overall look at each book of the Wisdom Literature in the Bible – Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and lastly, The Song of Solomon. That sounds pretty daunting, but each week we have heard things that gave us guidance and wisdom about living our everyday lives, how to cope with our experiences in life, what we need to understand about Who God is and our relationship with Him.

At the time of reading this, the last book in the series will have been led by Neil this last Thursday, and I am sure it will have been very interesting because one writer described the Song of Solomon as a steamy love poem!

The Thursday before that, we were joined by Rob and Sarah, and Rob talked us through Ecclesiastes. At first it seems the author, The Teacher, possibly King Solomon, was very pessimistic about life. Let’s face it we all do at times.

‘Meaningless! Meaningless!’ says the Teacher. ‘Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.’
Ecclesiastes 1 v1 [NIV]

He tries all things that we may do also to find happiness, but he doesn’t find satisfaction in any of it – study and learning, pleasures and laughter, eating and drinking, hard work developing homes and gardens, amassing riches and possessions. But he finds as we do also

This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.
Ecclesiastes 4 v16 [NIV]

What is the real answer to finding satisfaction and fulfilment while we live day by day? It was appropriate that Rob chose for us to sing a song with the chorus

Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in his wonderful face.
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of his glory and grace.

For a number of us at the group this chorus was one we sang in Sunday School when we were young. But more importantly it is an encouragement that when experiences become a problem or we are depressed about them, we can focus inwardly on Jesus. Our worries, problems and disappointments become less and less as we see more and more of Him, and we lose sight of those problems. Our life and all that we have is to be enjoyed with gratitude as a gift from God, and be filled by the Holy Spirit for our service to Him in our lives and in our church.

We as Christians forgiven and cleansed by God should come to the same conclusion as the Teacher in Ecclesiastes:

When all has been heard, the end is: fear God [worship Him with awe filled reverence, knowing that He is almighty God] and keep His commandments, for this applies to every person.
Ecclesiastes 12 v13 [Amp]

We should praise and worship our Saviour God and obey Him by doing all that He wants us to do for Him in our lives and our church. May God bless you as you do this.

Resources:
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