year end perspective

Good evening friends,

Ecclesiastes is a great book for perspective. While it seems pessimistic, it really just helps us see the limits of human work. The end of a year is a time to set goals, but especially to think about lining our life with what really matters.

God bless,
Sam

Ecclesiastes 1:1-11

The words of the Teacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.²Vanity of vanities, says the Teacher, vanity of vanities! All is vanity.³What do people gain from all the toil at which they toil under the sun?

⁴A generation goes, and a generation comes, but the earth remains forever. ⁵The sun rises and the sun goes down, and hurries to the place where it rises. ⁶The wind blows to the south, and goes around to the north; round and round goes the wind, and on its circuits the wind returns. ⁷All streams run to the sea, but the sea is not full; to the place where the streams flow, there they continue to flow. ⁸All things are wearisome; more than one can express; the eye is not satisfied with seeing, or the ear filled with hearing.

⁹What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done; there is nothing new under the sun. ¹⁰Is there a thing of which it is said, “See, this is new”? It has already been, in the ages before us.¹¹The people of long ago are not remembered, nor will there be any remembrance of people yet to come by those who come after them.

reflecting on our limits

Good morning brothers and sisters,
The next two days we're reading from Ecclesiastes to help us reflect on the passing of one year and the beginning of another. Ecclesiastes is a book full of reflections on life. It sometimes feels pessimistic, but on balance it is realistic about the hardships and frustrations of life. At the same time, the conclusion the writer eventually comes to is that, while humans are limited in what we can do, and life is often frustrating, we can still find joy in following our calling and worshiping God. So for the morning reading, follow the Teacher's reflection, but take it with a grain of salt and more than a hint of joy.

God bless,
Sam

Ecclesiastes 1:1-9

The words of the Teacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem. ²Vanity of vanities, says the Teacher, vanity of vanities! All is vanity. ³What do people gain from all the toil at which they toil under the sun?

⁴A generation goes, and a generation comes, but the earth remains forever. ⁵The sun rises and the sun goes down, and hurries to the place where it rises. ⁶The wind blows to the south, and goes around to the north; round and round goes the wind, and on its circuits the wind returns. ⁷All streams run to the sea, but the sea is not full; to the place where the streams flow, there they continue to flow. ⁸All things are wearisome; more than one can express; the eye is not satisfied with seeing, or the ear filled with hearing.

⁹What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done; there is nothing new under the sun.

better together

Good afternoon friends,
I chose today's reading as a reflection on this week's prayer theme, community. We are stronger and wiser in community than we are alone. That's true for us as individuals and for our congregations. We work best together. Tonight at 7 we'll have our final Urban Presbyterians Together Advent service at New Life Presbyterian Church (Monroe Ave and Rosedale St.). It is a service focused on community support and hope. I'm very much looking forward to it. If you feel in need of a boost of hope and community it would be great to see you there.
Blessings on the evening and the season,
Sam

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

⁹Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. ¹⁰For if they fall, one will lift up the other; but woe to one who is alone and falls and does not have another to help. ¹¹Again, if two lie together, they keep warm; but how can one keep warm alone? ¹²And though one might prevail against another, two will withstand one. A threefold cord is not quickly broken.