Read Ecclesiastes 1:4-8
Generations come and generations go, but the earth remains forever. Ecclesiastes 1:4
From the human point of view, nothing seems more permanent and durable than the planet on which we live. When we say that something is as sure as the world, we are echoing Solomon's confidence in the permanence of Planet Earth. With all of its diversity, nature is uniform enough in its operation that we can discover its laws and put them to work for us. In fact, it is this dependability that is the basis for modern science.
Nature is permanent, but we are transient, mere pilgrims on earth. Our pilgrimage is a brief one, for death finally claims all of us. At the very beginning of his book, Solomon introduced a topic frequently mentioned in Ecclesiastes: the brevity of life and the certainty of death.
Individuals and families come and go, nations and empires rise and fall, but nothing changes, for the world remains the same. Thomas Carlyle called history a mighty drama, enacted upon the theater of time, with suns for lamps and eternity for a background. Solomon would add that the costumes and sets may occasionally change, but the actors and the script remain pretty much the same; and that is as sure as the world.
Applying God's Truth:
How frequently do you think about your inevitable death? How does it make you feel?
How do you try to ensure that you're making the most of your life while you have the opportunity?
As a member of your generation, how well are you connected to the older generation(s) as well as the younger one(s)?
Devotions for Contentment and Wisdom ©2005 by Dr. Warren Wiersbe. Used by permission of David C Cook. May not be further reproduced. All rights reserved.
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