Ecclesiastes 9:10 – Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the grave, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom. (NIV)

It's amazing what a thousand years of faith can do for people. King Solomon, who perhaps wrote some of Ecclesiastes, was a spoiled, rich man who was bored with life. He had experienced everything under the sun, and when he had exhausted all of his desires, he discovered that his life was empty, meaningless, and pointless. He was the equivalent of the modern rock star or sports athlete, who gets high and hooked on drugs, and then believes that ordinary life is depressing.

Solomon overdosed on excitement, risk, and fun, and then came crashing down into the depths of futility and misery when it was all over. He was the original man who had everything and who discovered too late that he had lost his own soul in the process.

A thousand years later, a new King arrives on the scene: Jesus, the King who gave up everything, including His own life, and brought meaning, purpose, and fulfillment back into the world. He is the complete opposite of Solomon, for rather than satisfy His own desires, Christ seeks only to fulfill God's will.

Because of His obedience, God's blessing is ours to receive. As Scripture tells us, "Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God." (John 1:12 NIV)

In other words, we share in the blessings that Christ has accomplished. When we believe and place our faith in Him, we are accredited with His righteousness, and truly become God's children. We no longer need to satisfy our own desires and longings — we already have everything.

Prayer: Christ Jesus, You are the King of all creation and the Lord of our lives. We are infinitely blessed by Your obedience, sacrifice, and resurrection. As we prepare to remember Your birth, be born again within us and assure us of the blessings of being God's children, both now and forever. Amen.

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About the author:

John Stuart <traqair@aol.com>
Knoxville, Tennessee, USA
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