It Applies to Everyone

06.09.12

Ecclesiastes 12.13 13 The conclusion, when all has been heard, is: fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person. NASB

You know, there isn’t a soul on earth who isn’t precious or unknown to God. There isn’t a soul on the planet who doesn’t deserve to know  and experience the depth and riches of God’s love and goodness; it applies to everyone.

I think what happened when Solomon got to the end of his musings about life and experience, he decided: yes, God has given me much, but I cannot afford to miss the forest for the trees; life ultimately boils down to how I relate to my God. And not just for the day, or for the moment, but always.

It is true; life does come in increments of moments, minutes, hours, days and years – that is how things are structured for now. But as I read Solomon and think about what he said, I pick up a certain tenor to his words that tells me: despite the incrementality of life, it is not each moment, but how we carry our faith from one moment to the next – and continue to carry it so. We’re not to major on the moments, but we’re not to forget them either.

We get so caught up in the moments that we overlook the seasons. We can focus so much on our seasons that we miss our moments. The conclusion: When all has been heard, fear God and keep His commandments as the medium for life through the smallest seconds and longest seasons. This applies to everyone. Or at least it is what is intended for everyone.

To live life and miss God is one of the greatest tragedies in the universe. No, it is the greatest tragedy in the universe. We were made by God and for God and to miss that is to miss the supremest desire of our heart. And that applies to you, me, and everyone else. Everyone’s desire is to be happy; everyone’s desire is to be safe and well; warm on the cold days, and cool on the hot days. And the Answer to the deepest longings of our heart is the Lord God.

Solomon enjoyed what few on earth ever achieve: riches beyond measure, freedom beyond description, and wisdom to know the difference. But even with all this, the smartest guy in the world had to bow his knee and say: to have all this and not have God – well at best, it’s a loss. And it applies to everyone because God is infinitely more than all of what earth has to offer.

God grant me the serenity

to accept the things I cannot change;

courage to change the things I can;

and wisdom to know the difference.

Living one day at a time;

Enjoying one moment at a time;

Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;

Taking, as He did, this sinful world

as it is, not as I would have it;

Trusting that He will make all things right

if I surrender to His Will;

That I may be reasonably happy in this life

and supremely happy with Him

Forever in the next.

Amen.

-       The Serenity Prayer