From Pastor Ben
Trivia:
Yesterday I quizzed you on which U.S. state is known by the nickname "The Garden State"? as to whether it was Philadelphia or Vermont, or possibly Rhode Island, or maybe New Jersey. The overwhelming votes were for New Jersey being known as "The Garden State." Way to go everyone!!!
Challenge:
Ecclesiastes 7:29
"But I did find this: God created people to be virtuous, but they have each turned to follow their own downward path."
It is sad to me that Solomon spent much of his life researching this truth about God and man. However, the truth of his finding is spoken out clearly in Genesis 1:27,28: "So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them male and female he created them. 28 Then God blessed them and said, 'Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it. Reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, and all the animals that scurry along the ground.' "
Just think! God created us in His very image (virtuous) and then gave us the preeminence over all of His creation. It is hard for me to understand just why much of mankind today is willing to give up that place of prominence over the earth then turn right around and worship this very animal world when they were given the magnificent place of control over all created animals.
When you stop to think about it, this doesn't really make sense does it? The Creator of the universe made us like Him, then He put us in a role of oversight of all of His creation. Then rather than enjoy that role, men have been willing to surrender that place of oversight through God's promised wisdom to surrendering that role of prominence to Satan.
Just think! Even though God had made everything beautiful (Ecclesiastes 3:11) and made human beings upright (Genesis 1:31) to rule over the animal kingdom, still some of mankind had surrendered that role to an evil being (Satan) and still, even up to today, allows his evil rule to remain in control of their lives. Rather than receive God's free redemptive work and be made free, these men choose to be held under the control of this evil despot.
Many men, rather than receive God's free gift, still seek out many sinful schemes which will mar and distort the divine image in man. Now, even in his fallen condition, man still has an intuitive hunger to find perfection. He goes through life looking for the perfect partner, the perfect job, the perfect everything.
But he cannot find perfection in others or in himself. The trouble is that his search is confined to the sphere under the sun. Only one perfect life has ever been lived on this earth, that is the life of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Even now, Jesus Christ is above the sun, exalted at the right hand of God. And God offers to satisfy man's hunger for perfection with Christ—no one else, no other thing.
As the last phrase of verse 29 states it, ".. but they have each turned to follow their own downward path."
This "downward path" isn't technological advances, but rather refers to that which is wrong. In other words, God made man right, but man keeps messing up. The solution is for us to place ourselves in harmony with His will to place our trust in His beautiful will for us and our care.
This bent for resisting reminds me of the stubborn Shetland pony that my uncle bought. Uncle Leonard's plan was for all of us kids to be able to enjoy riding around the farm. But this pony had other intentions! When we would saddle him up, with great resistance I must say, he would refuse anyone to get on him by bucking, running, biting, rubbing you off of him, etc. Finally, when Uncle Leonard came home, he would then mount this rebellious animal and ride him around the corral until he would give in. Then we could ride for a while until our uncle went out of view, but once again he was back to his rebellious ways. Unfortunately, our lives are similar to that experience. Rather than live in harmony with our loving Father we live in resistance to His perfect joys.
So GO WITH GOD, my dear one Surrender your life afresh to His glorious plans for you then rest in His ways. You'll never regret this decision.