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Friday, January 4, 2013

Self-effort is a gamble.

In response to a question on mom's in tune forum:

Question:  In the morning sow your seed, And in the evening do not withhold your hand; For you do not know which will prosper, Either this or that, Or whether both alike will be good. Ecclesiastes 11:6.

Answer: I think the context of Ecclesiastes is about trying to get satisfaction from things of this world (such as money, relationships and work) through your own self effort.

Those things are not meant to satisfy our heart because we were designed to be satisfied through relationship with Christ. Once we have Christ in our hearts we are satisfied and then we are able to enjoy all those good things in the world that God wants to bless us with. Ecclesiastes 5:19 says that it is God who gives the gift to enjoy our work and wealth.

However, if we try to find satisfaction or success in the world, through our own self-effort, without Christ, we are gambling.

For example, a mom may try teaching her child God's law through self effort (sowing) but it may result in failure if the child grows up and turns away from the Lord. The mom does not get to reap what she sowed.

Another example, a man may work really hard (sowing) at his job in hopes of getting promoted. However, even though he is the most qualified man, another employee gets promoted instead. So the man did not get to reap what he sowed. 

That is why without Christ we must sow "here and there" and all day long because some of our efforts will fail. We don't know which one will be successful. But we can trust in Jesus. Jesus did the things we cannot do.  He is the fulfillment of the law (Mathew 5:17) Jesus was the one who sowed "here and there." When we rely on Jesus' finished work for our success or satisfaction, there is no gambling. Christ at the cross  sowed his sinless life so we can reap his righteousness.(2 Corinthians 5:21) He became a curse so we can be blessed (Galatians 3:1-13).  When we received the finished work of Jesus Christ we have guaranteed success. In our weaknesses his grace super abounds.
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