Hope in the face of unyieldingdespair ∙
Let me hear of your unfailing love each morning, for I am trusting you. Show me where to walk, for I give myself to you. – Psalms 143:8
Ecclesiastes 3:11-14
11 God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end.
12 So I concluded there is nothing better than to be happy and enjoy ourselves as long as we can.
13 And people should eat and drink and enjoy the fruits of their labor, for these are gifts from God.
14 And I know that whatever God does is final. Nothing can be added to it or taken from it. God’s purpose is that people should fear him.
Bertrand Russell was a British philosopher and a vocal atheist. Many would argue that he was the foremost atheist in the Western world in the twentieth century. One of his well-known books is “Why I Am Not a Christian.”
His philosophy is representative of many of those who reject God as the source of all things and embrace evolutionary constructs in place of Him. People without God end up by the force of logic in a futile and despairing place. Through exploring these themes, Russell articulates a methodology that prioritizes empirical evidence and rational thought over faith-based convictions. Rather than confident expectation based upon faith in the word of God, he winds up in a dark, lonely place. Bertrand Russell writes,
“That man is the product of causes which had no prevision of the end they were achieving; that his origin, his growth, his hopes and fears, his loves and his beliefs, are but the outcome of accidental collocations of atoms; that no fire, no heroism, no intensity of thought and feeling, can preserve an individual life beyond the grave; that all the labors of the ages, all the devotion, all the inspiration, all the noonday brightness of human genius, are destined to extinction in the vast death of the solar system, and that the whole temple of Man’s achievement must inevitably be buried beneath the debris of a universe in ruins – all these things, if not quite beyond dispute, are yet so nearly certain, that no philosophy which rejects them can hope to stand.”
“Only within the scaffolding of these truths, only on the firm foundation of unyielding despair, can the soul’s habitation henceforth be safely built.”
Bertrand Russell would have us build our lives upon a foundation of unyielding despair. What a dismal outlook! One book of the Bible, Ecclesiastes, reflects Russell’s worldview.
Ecclesiastes 1:2 “Everything is meaningless,” says the Teacher, “completely meaningless!”
It’s a tradition for many to reflect upon the previous 12 months at the beginning of a new year. Some years are crushing, challenging us deeply, and testing our emotional and physical resilience. Our experiences often highlight the perceived emptiness of existence without a guiding belief or trust in God. Many thoughtful and logical individuals find themselves grappling with unyielding despair.
Children of the King can have an entirely different mindset that provides hope, that is, confident expectation for the future. The Father is all-wise. He has a master plan unfolding within our lives and the universe.
It is incumbent upon each child of the King to place their confidence in the Father’s character and essence. The Father’s nature is fully displayed in His lovingkindness and steadfast love. As we contemplate His loyal, unfailing love, we have reason to celebrate and experience His comfort and joy. Knowing He has our best interests at heart, the natural outflow is confident trust.
The choices before people are polar opposites. They can build their lives on the lovingkindness of a faithful, loyal, dependable, loving Father God. Or they can rest their lives upon the foundation of unyielding despair.
REFLECT & PRAY
David seeks to experience the Father’s lovingkindness and asks the Father to teach him how to gracefully traverse the challenging moments of this existence.
Father thank You for always being there for me. Help me live my life based on the firm foundation of the truth of Your Word.
INSIGHT
Ecclesiastes 3:11 God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart . . ..
Solomon observes and delves into profound contemplation of what he sees. He acknowledges the Father’s craftsmanship in rendering all aspects of creation. He has made everything beautiful in its time. Yet he recognizes the tension and a pervasive restlessness within the human spirit.
He concludes that it has been embedded there by the Creator Himself. The Father has placed eternity in every human heart. It drives an insatiable curiosity about life’s mysteries and the enigmatic nature of existence. We want answers regarding the seeming absurdities of life and things beyond life itself. Yet, we cannot resolve our curiosity. We cannot fully grasp what the Father has done from the beginning until the end.
This is a conundrum. Yet Solomon comes to terms with this reality when he recognizes that “both his desire to understand all of life, as well as the limitations on his ability to do so, have been ordained by God” (ESV notes).
As detailed in the book of Ecclesiastes, Solomon wrestles with the apparent meaninglessness of life in a world marked by imperfection and transience. Yet, within this very struggle, Solomon finds a glimmer of hope – acknowledging that our quest for understanding and our limitations are intricately woven into the fabric of our existence by the Father Himself.
Ecclesiastes 3:14 I know that whatever God does is final. Nothing can be added to it or taken from it. God’s purpose is that people should fear him.
Whatever the Father has designed and created endures, and no one can change His plan. “God’s acts are eternal. Earthly events are limited and marked by fixed moments, but God stands outside these limits. We can know a little about what God does, but his actions are actually of a different order: eternal, complete, and unchanging” (UBS).
Children of the King should recognize that no matter how confusing or frustrating the fallen world is, we must learn to be at peace because we cannot alter His eternal plan.
Solomon offers advice on how to respond. Modern culture would say carpe diem (seize the day).
Ecclesiastes 3:12-13
12 So I concluded there is nothing better than to be happy and enjoy ourselves as long as we can.
13 And people should eat and drink and enjoy the fruits of their labor, for these are gifts from God.
In these challenging times, the children of the King are endowed with extraordinary capabilities that guide them through adversity, anchoring their sights on an eternal future alongside the Father.
It is the Father’s lovingkindness and unwavering compassion that give us hope. His love is faithful and reliable. He is always present to offer support. “Even when God’s people sin, we can appeal to the Lord for help and restoration based on His faithfulness and righteousness” (Constable).
Psalms 143:8-10
8 Let me hear of your unfailing love each morning, for I am trusting you. Show me where to walk, for I give myself to you.
9 Rescue me from my enemies, LORD; I run to you to hide me.
10 Teach me to do your will, for you are my God. May your gracious Spirit lead me forward on a firm footing.
“If we want God’s guidance . . . then He instructs us to ask for it. We must ask in faith and then listen carefully for His voice. He always guides those who really likes want to follow” (Stanley).
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© Dr. H 2024
Dr H Reflections 