What is our main thing or our “WHOLE DUTY?” “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: FEAR God and KEEP His commandments, for this is THE WHOLE DUTY OF MAN.” (Ecclesiastes 12:13) Ecclesiastes may seem a strange book, but because of the source of wisdom it comes from, it’s much more important to us. Solomon prayed this prayer, “Give me wisdom and knowledge, that I may lead this people… God said to Solomon, “Since this is your heart’s desire…I have made you king, therefore WISDOM AND KNOWLEDGE WILL BE GIVEN YOU.” (2 Chron. 1:10-12)
Many times, we are tempted to chase “after the wind”, Solomon summarized all his attempts at finding life’s meaning as “chasing the wind.” “King Solomon loved many foreign women, as well as the daughter of Pharaoh: women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians, and Hittites— from the nations of whom the LORD had said to the children of Israel, “You shall not intermarry with them, nor they with you. Surely they will turn away your hearts after their gods.” Solomon clung to these in love. And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines; and his wives turned away his heart. For it was so, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned his heart after other gods; and his heart was NOT LOYAL to the LORD his God, as was the heart of his father David.
(1 Kings 11:1-4)
We feel the wind as it passes, but we can’t catch hold of it or keep it. In all our accomplishments, even the big ones, our good feelings are only temporary. Security and self-worth are not found in these accomplishments, but far beyond them in the love of God. Think about what you consider worthwhile in your life-where you place your time, energy, and money. Will you one day look back and decide that these, too, were “chasing the wind“? looking for satisfaction in the wrong places. If that’s what we do, we’re living lives of arrogance and our passion for God can become nothing more than a passion to have God make our search for more self-importance a successful one. That’s why such emphasis is placed on reminding us of our “WHOLE DUTY” which is to, “FEAR GOD AND KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS…“
Your Personal Pastor -Bill Stockham