Hello there and welcome back to more SOAP.
This morning this memory verse from the She Reads Truth Ecclesiastes series grabbed me:
Scripture
“For to the person who is pleasing in his sight, he gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy.”
Ecclesiastes 2:26a
Observation
He gives the really good stuff to those who follow Him.
Application
My understanding of the scriptures says that, to be pleasing in His sight, we must trust and follow Him. He already made each of us in His image, so we’ve got a head start there for him liking us. It seems to me that to be truly pleasing, we must just listen, trust and accept His teachings and invite the Holy Spirit into our hearts.
As much as we may want to apply worldly requirements for gaining praise such as achievements and service, it’s really just accepting Him that makes us pleasing. I think that is because when you TRULY accept and trust Him, your heart will respond naturally. And then you’ll want to spend more time with Him and learn more about Him and then, of course, wisdom and knowledge will flow from that.. and that will lead to deeper understanding and joy in what will provide true joy.
Yes, acts of service are awesome and instructed. He does tell us to look after widows and orphans and not steal or covet and plenty of other things. But I don’t think any of those are requirements, per se– just things that naturally come from truly following Him. Following Him, truly listening and embracing will guide us. And we WILL make mistakes. And He will still love us and find us pleasing as long as we truly listen and follow Him, mistakes and all.
Prayer
Father God, I am so thankful that you made me in your image and that you have shown yourself to me and that you have made following you, and being pleasing in your sight, something absolutely attainable and not something that causes constant stretching, pushing and striving.
You want me to trust you, to listen to you. In my doing so, you give me wisdom, knowledge and joy. I have seen that! When I slip away and don’t spend time with you, I lose perspective. When I spend time with you, really diving in and listening, you open my mind and my heart and fill both with the good stuff.
Thank you, Father.
Yes, I want knowledge and wisdom and joy. Yes, I want YOU. And you want to share it with me… and all of us who seek you, no matter what our “accomplishments” may be. Thank you.
In Jesus’ name, Amen
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