In the book of Ecclesiastes, Solomon said, “There is a sore evil which I have seen under the sun, namely, riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt. But those riches perish by evil travail: and he begets a son, and there is nothing in his hand. As he came forth of his mother's womb, naked shall he return to go as he came, and shall take nothing of his labor, which he may carry away in his hand. And this also is a sore evil, that in all points as he came, so shall he go: and what profit has he that has labored for the wind? All his days also he eats in darkness, and he has much sorrow and wrath with his sickness”, and in chapter five and verse eighteen of his book Solomon said, “it is good and comely for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labor” where we read,
Behold that which I have seen: it is good and comely for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labor that he takes under the sun all the days of his life, which God gives him: for it is his portion.
The verse reads, “Behold that which I have seen: it is good and comely for one to eat and to drink, …” Solomon began with the words, “behold that which I have seen” or “lo, look and consider the observation I, Solomon, have perceived, discerned and observed”: “it is good” which means “it, the following, exists as pleasant, agreeable and excellent” “and comely” or “and beautiful and well” “for one to eat” which means “for a person to consume and devour” “and drink” or “and imbibe”. Solomon said he observed that a person consuming and devouring exists as pleasant and beautiful.
The verse continues, “… and to enjoy the good of all his labor that he takes under the sun all the days of his life, which God gives him: for it is his portion.” Daniel added the words, “and to enjoy the good” or “and to perceive, consider, look at and regard the pleasantness, agreeableness and excellence” “of all his labor” which means “pertaining to each, every and the whole of his, the person’s, toil, effort and grievance” “that he takes under the sun” or “that he, the person, irksomely toils and severely works beneath the sun in the sky” “all the days of his life” which means “each, every, the whole and everyone of the sunrises to sunset belonging to his, the person’s, active living”, “which God gives him” or “that the Supreme Deity grants, bestows and assigns to him, the person”: “for it is his portion” which means “because, since and on account that it, the good of all his labor, exists as his, the person’s, part, parcel and share”. Solomon said the person who receives “good” from their toils from the Supreme Deity beneath the sun are to regard the blessings of God as their parcel or share.
When we consider the words in this verse, we learn how Solomon observed that it is pleasant and agreeable for a person to consume, imbibe and to have high regard toward that which their work beneath the sun has accomplished during their lives. God has granted these blessing to the person who works, and it exists as the share the Lord has apportioned for them. God owns everything, and when He blesses us with His belongings for our toil and “labor”, we are to take pleasure in them. We must always be eternally Kingdom minded as the things of this world are temporary, and while we “enjoy” a personal relationship with God through His Son Jesus who died on the cross for the sins of all mankind and was raised from the dead after three days, we should remember to invest in that which is eternal. When we submit ourselves to Him as our “Savior and Lord”, He will forgive our sins, grant us everlasting life and put His Holy Spirit within us to guide us into all truth which includes how we are to use and be pleased with that which He has given to us.
Next time Solomon shares about, “every man also to whom God has given riches and wealth”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until tomorrow…there is more…
See more devotionals on the website "thewordfortodaywithray.com" or look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".
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