January 25, 2022 7:00 pm
In the tenth century, Abd al-Rahman was the ruler of Cordoba, in Spain. After fifty years of successful reign (“beloved by my subjects, dreaded by my enemies, and respected by my allies”), al-Rahman took a deeper look at his life. “Riches and honors, power and pleasure, have waited on my call,” he said of his privileges. But when he counted how many days of genuine happiness he’d had during that time, they amounted to just fourteen. How sobering.
The writer of Ecclesiastes was also a man of riches and honor (Ecclesiastes 2:7–9), power and pleasure (1:12; 2:1–3). And his own life evaluation was equally sobering. Riches, he realized, just led to a desire for more (5:10–11), while pleasures accomplished little (2:1–2), and success could be due to chance as much as ability (9:11). But his assessment didn’t end as bleakly as al-Rahman’s. Believing God was his ultimate source of happiness, he saw that eating, working, and doing good could all be enjoyed when done with Him (2:25; 3:12–13).
“O man!” al-Rahman concluded his reflections, “place not thy confidence in this present world!” The writer of Ecclesiastes would agree. Since we have been made for eternity (3:11), earthly pleasures and achievements won’t satisfy by themselves. But with Him in our lives, genuine happiness is possible in our eating, working, and living.
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Hi, I'm Sheridan Boise and thank you for joining me for this word of encouragement from the Our Daily Bread Devotional. I've titled today's reading True Happiness.
In the 10th century, Abd al-Rahman III was the ruler of Cordoba, Spain. After 50 years of successful reign, beloved by my subjects, dreaded by my enemies and respected by my allies, al-Rahman took a deeper look at his life. Riches and honours, power and pleasure, have waited on my call, he said of his privileges. But when he counted how many days of genuine happiness he'd had during that time, they amounted to just 14.
How sobering. The writer of Ecclesiastes was also a man of riches and honour, power and pleasure, and his own life evaluation was equally sobering. Riches, he realised, just led to a desire for more, while pleasures accomplished little and success could be due to chance as much as ability. But his assessment didn't end as bleakly as al-Rahman's. Believing God was his ultimate source of happiness, he saw that eating, working and doing good could all be enjoyed when done with him.
Oh man, al-Rahman concluded his reflections, place not thy confidence in this present world. The writer of Ecclesiastes would agree. Since we've been made for eternity, earthly pleasures and achievements won't satisfy by themselves. But with him in our lives, genuine happiness is possible in our eating, working and living. Today's scripture reading is from Ecclesiastes chapter 3 verses 9 to 14.
What do workers gain from their toil? I have seen the burden God has laid on the human race. He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart. Yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end. I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live.
That each of them may eat and drink and find satisfaction in all their toil. This is the gift of God. I know that everything God does will endure forever.
Nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that people will fear him. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, we bring our day to you now with all of its beauty and its ordinariness. We want to find happiness in you and with you. Today we will eat and work and live with you by our side, enjoying every moment of it as a precious gift from you. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Today's encouragement was provided by Our Daily Bread Ministries.
Whisper: medium.en / 2023-06-17 19:22:49 / 2023-06-17 19:24:20 / 2
