“When clouds are heavy, the rains come down. Whether a tree falls north or south, it stays where it falls. Farmers who wait for perfect weather never plant. If they watch every cloud, they never harvest. Just as you cannot understand the path of the wind or the mystery of a tiny baby growing in its mother’s womb, so you cannot understand the activity of God, who does all things. Plant your seed in the morning and keep busy all afternoon, for you don’t know if profit will come from one activity or another—or maybe both.” – Ecclesiastes 11:3-6 (NLT)
The COVID-19 pandemic, the recent catastrophic flooding in Malaysia and volcanic eruption in Tonga are reminders that we are not in control of circumstances and nature. Clouds will bring rain when they are heavy with water droplets, and trees lie where they fall (v.3). These are the natural cycles of life in God’s creation and providence, as well as consequences of a fallen humanity.
As believers in Christ, we become children of God and our destinies are not determined by the realities of this life, but what God has purposed for us. The writer of Ecclesiastes gives us the following exhortations to live purposefully as God’s people.
Take action now (v.4). Often, we may find ourselves sitting around and waiting for the ideal conditions before we start to act. Yet, we must realise that procrastination will not help us accomplish anything. If we are looking for an excuse to do nothing, we will find one. Life can be a wonderful adventure with God, but we must first step out in faith. We can start by creating an action plan for our new year desires and resolutions and seeking accountability with someone to keep us on track. Let us not waste that one life that we have been given to live.
Trust God even when we do not understand His mysteries (v.5). There are many questions about life and God that are beyond human understanding. Our finite minds cannot fully comprehend the mysteries and workings of God. Yet there are things that He has revealed to us – His Son and His Word – that we may know and worship Him. “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children for ever, that we may follow all the words of this law” (Deuteronomy 29:29). God has given us everything we need for our faith journey. He is sovereign, and the Maker of all things. We can trust Him even when we do not fully understand the things that are happening around us.
Steward well what has been entrusted to us (v.6). We reap what we sow. We must be diligent in our assigned roles and responsibilities, even as we trust God for His providential care and provision. When we steward well what God has entrusted to us and spend each day wisely, we can rest assured that He will bless and establish the work of our hands, for His glory.
May we live with greater purpose and intentionality in the new year!
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