Amelia and I were outside enjoying the sunshine in the backyard with Jake and Ella, the Great Danes. Out of nowhere, Jake tore across the yard toward the fence, Ella close on his heels. Such outbursts typically mean there’s a bird or a squirrel bold enough to enter their territory or a package is about to be delivered. I followed their fixed gaze toward whatever had caused the commotion. Jake pulled up short at the fence, spun in a circle and started off again in the opposition direction. Just beyond my field of vision, above the roofline, buzzards circled low to the ground, obviously enjoying the air currents keeping them easily afloat. They circled out over the lake and disappeared above the tree line, only to return a few moments later and the chase resumed.
This was not the first time I’ve witnessed this stunt. No effort on my part to calm them made any difference, so I said aloud to the baby, “silly dogs!” And she repeated, “silly!” Silly indeed! All that rushing around and barking for something so far beyond their reach. I’m reminded of the hustle and bustle that is synonymous with the holidays from Thanksgiving through New Years. I’m also reminded of the toil and strife that characterizes fallen man seeking redemption apart from Christ.
“The Lord God said to Adam, “You listened to your wife’s suggestion. You ate fruit from the tree I warned you about. I said, ‘You must not eat its fruit.’
“So I am putting a curse on the ground because of what you did.
All the days of your life you will have to work hard.
It will be painful for you to get food from the ground. You will eat plants from the field, even though the ground produces thorns and prickly weeds.
You will have to work hard and sweat a lot to produce the food you eat.
You were made out of the ground. You will return to it when you die. You are dust, and you will return to dust.””
Genesis 3:17-19 NIRV
https://bible.com/bible/110/gen.3.17-19.NIRV
““Meaningless! Everything is meaningless!” says the Teacher. “Everything is completely meaningless! Nothing has any meaning.”
What do people get for all their work? Why do they work so hard on this earth?
People come and people go. But the earth remains forever. The sun rises. Then it sets. And then it hurries back to where it rises. The wind blows to the south. Then it turns to the north. Around and around it goes. It always returns to where it started.
Every stream flows into the ocean. But the ocean never gets full. The streams return to the place they came from.
All things are tiresome. They are more tiresome than anyone can say. But our eyes never see enough of anything. Our ears never hear enough.
There isn’t anything about which someone can say, “Look! Here’s something new.” It was already here long ago. It was here before we were.”
Ecclesiastes 1:2-8, 10 NIRV
https://bible.com/bible/110/ecc.1.2-10.NIRV
If we’re not extremely careful, this season founded on “glory to God and peace to all men” can quickly deteriorate into the exact opposite. (Luke 2:14) Impatience isn’t just the little kids on Christmas Eve and the Christmas goose isn’t the only thing that’s overdone.
“I’ve seen what is done on this earth.
All of it is meaningless.
It’s like chasing the wind.”
Ecclesiastes 1:14 NIRV
https://bible.com/bible/110/ecc.1.14.NIRV
Pointless. Fruitless. Useless.
I’ve always been a bit of a procrastinator. In school, I claimed I worked better under pressure. Now that just sounds silly. I’ve learned from my own mistakes. With age, hopefully, comes wisdom. Someone observed that insanity is doing the same thing and expecting a different result. My Danes running themselves ragged today won’t keep them from doing the same thing again tomorrow under similar conditions. Honestly, they need the exercise, but staring down futility day in and day out for a higher being, one created in the image of God with reason and purpose, could be the undoing of a soul. What better time than Christmas to break with the baggage that slows us down and trips us up? This is the easiest time of year to fix our eyes on Jesus. (Hebrews 12:1-2)
Solomon was given wisdom from God, more than any other man, to rule Israel well and even he despaired. Ecclesiastes, his treatise on making sense of the senseless and failing miserably, comes back to the same point time after time. God is God and He will have the final word.
“Books will never stop being written. Everything has now been heard. And here’s the final thing I want to say.
Have respect for God and obey his commandments. This is what he expects of all human beings.
God will judge everything people do. That includes everything they try to hide. He’ll judge everything, whether it’s good or evil.”
Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 NIRV
https://bible.com/bible/110/ecc.12.13-14.NIRV
“Without faith it is impossible to please God.
Those who come to God must believe that he exists. And they must believe that he rewards those who look to him.”
Hebrews 11:6 NIRV
https://bible.com/bible/110/heb.11.6.NIRV
Respecting God, or fearing God in Bible lingo, means reverence in action. Acknowledging Him openly and often, as Peter said, “always ready to give a reason for the hope you possess.” (I Peter 3:15)
“When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners.
Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us.
Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory.
We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation.
And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.”
Romans 5:6, 1-5 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/rom.5.1-5.NLT
As for obeying His commandments, well, you’ll need to know them first. He has given us His Word and His Son, and anyone who accepts the Son, believing in the name of Jesus, is a child of God by rights. (John 1:12)
Christmas has come to be celebrated in many ways- for every individual or family, denomination or ethnicity, there is a traditional precedent. Some choose not to acknowledge or celebrate the date at all, both because they don’t believe or because they do and object to the commercialization.
“Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it.
But do this in a gentle and respectful way. Keep your conscience clear. Then if people speak against you, they will be ashamed when they see what a good life you live because you belong to Christ.
Remember, it is better to suffer for doing good, if that is what God wants, than to suffer for doing wrong!”
1 Peter 3:15-17 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/1pe.3.15-17.NLT
“The Teacher was wise. He gave knowledge to people. He tried out many proverbs.
He thought about them carefully. Then he wrote them down in order.
He did his best to find just the right words. And what he wrote was honest and true.
The sayings of those who are wise move people to take action.
Their collected sayings are like nails pounded in firm and deep.
These sayings are given to us by one Shepherd. My son, be careful not to pay attention to anything added to them.”
Ecclesiastes 12:9-12 NIRV
https://bible.com/bible/110/ecc.12.9-12.NIRV
““I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this witness for the churches.
I am the Root and the Son of David.
I am the bright Morning Star.”
The Holy Spirit and the bride say, “Come!”
And the person who hears should say, “Come!”
Anyone who is thirsty should come.
Anyone who wants to take the free gift of the water of life should do so.
I am warning everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book.
Suppose someone adds anything to them. Then God will add to that person the plagues told about in this book.
Suppose someone takes away any words from this book of prophecy. Then God will take away from that person the blessings told about in this book. God will take away their share in the tree of life. God will also take away their place in the Holy City.
Jesus is a witness about these things. He says, “Yes. I am coming soon.”
Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!
May the grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s people. Amen.”
Revelation 22:16-21 NIRV
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