"Days of Vanity"

 "All things have I seen in the days of my vanity: there is a just man that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man that prolongeth his life in his wickedness." (Ecclesiastes 7:15 KJV)

  "We are merely moving shadows, and all our busy rushing ends in nothing. We heap up wealth, not knowing who will spend it. And so, Lord, where do I put my hope? My only hope is in you." (PSALM 39:6-7 NLT)

 There are some days when we feel as though this life has nothing great to offer; and then, there are days when we feel as though we are being offered over to this life: spent, stepped on, and discarded like an old pair of socks. Believe it or not, that does not really upset me, because this is not really my home! 

 Does it mean that we have to live as though we have been stepped upon? No! Actually, if we really have hope in the promises of the Lord, we have everything we need, even if everything we might have has been stripped away. When it comes to God's promises, we must have confidence in everything He has said; regardless of what this life might put upon us, there is nothing greater than what we have been given in Christ Jesus. 

 Oddly enough, as I was thinking about this last night, and, for a brief moment I thought about what it might be like if there were no promises, that there was nothing after this life, and where would my life had been spent, doing what? Fortunately, that was a very brief moment! As I gazed upon my wife, I assured her that we have so much more to live than just this! 

 There is proof in the Scriptures! Absolute proof, that cannot be taken from us or pushed aside as if it all didn't happen. God has given us His word for this specific reason, that we would believe in everything He has said and done! The majority of people scoff at the Bible, thinking it is all just something to make us feel dependent upon a Creator: and guess what! They are not wrong! 

 The only problem they have is that they reject to believe it...

"For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes - the Jew first and also the Gentile. This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, "It is through faith that a righteous person has life." But God shows his anger from heaven against all sinful, wicked people who suppress the truth by their wickedness. They know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them. For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities - his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God." (Romans 1:16-20 NLT)