RIPE, SWEET BUT SOUR

Text:Ecc 2:11.

Then I examined all of my accomplishments that I had brought about by my own efforts, including the work that I had labored so hard to complete—and it was all pointless, like chasing after the wind, and there was nothing to be gained on earth.

We bought two water melon sometimes ago. After we managed to finish the first one because it was unripe and not so sweet, we turned to the second one with a relief.

Seeing that the second water melon appeared fully ripe, we were excited about the sweetness. Quite unfortunately, on tasting the second water melon, it was sweet but sour. It has spoilt beyond what we could manage to eat.

I will liken this ripe, sweet but sour water melon to Solomon's life. He wrote three books in the old testament. One of the books, songs of Solomon detailed his sweet life in love and romances, the second book (Proverbs) revealed his ripe wisdom and which gave general truth for living , the third book "Ecclesiastes" showed his regrets (sourness) in life.

When you carefully read the book of Ecclesiastes, you could hear the ripeness (maturity), regrets (sourness) and the sweetness(wisdom) in Solomon's voice. All the three were reflected in the book of the preacher. His life which was ripe and sweet has now turned sour due to many wrong decisions about his uncontrollable passion for pleasure and women.

King Solomon has now become a preacher man. Hence, Ecclesiastes is know as 'the Preacher'.

For instance in Ecclesiastes 2:11, Solomon remorsefully recounted his works as vanity- "Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun."

As a true child of God, your work and labour under the sun must not be vanity. You must be able to present all your works profitably unto God.

Your life must always be a ripe and sweet fruit for your world to gladly eat from.

When people hear that you are a Christian, you appear sweet to them, but are they so pleased and satisfied having eaten of your fruit? Is your fruit sweet or does it give a sweet-sour taste.

May our lives be fully grown into all of God's wisdom, sweet and mature, so that the world will always glorify our Father in heaven.

Bible Reading :

Ecclesiastes 2:1-11

PRAYER FOCUS

1.) Father God, I stay connected to the vine (Jesus Christ) that I may always bring forth fruit.

Comments

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