Ecclesiastes 12:8-14 -- Fear God and obey His commands, for this is everyone's duty (v. 13b)
Solomon's conclusion of it all is simple and profound, ending with his favorite word "meaningless". He would say "everything is meaningless" or "completely meaningless". Shall life begin and end this way ... meaningless? Instead of shouting heresy, let's admire and reflect on Solomon's honesty. Meaningless is not the conclusion, it's the reality of life without God, of religion without God, of riches without God. There is A God and the whole meaning of man's existence and destiny is greatly defined by fearing God.
With a Quiet Heart let's hear and heed the conclusion of it all.
1. Wisdom is attitude rather than just aptitude (9-11)
Wisdom reveals the true value of everything ... the real picture. Assess its real value and confidently choose the godly and not just settle for what is good! Wisdom comes from the fear of the Lord ... not just preservation of a better image. It is not just looking good but depending on God to do good from a pure heart ... it's about going through heart-probing realities so we can walk on the path of wisdom, nourishing issues of the heart without neglecting sound reasoning of the head while paying attention to the whispers of the heart. Wisdom simplifies what the head complicates ... choosing contentment over greed.
Wisdom is about spiritual substance, not just religious forms; about transformation, not just a religious transaction; concrete not just nice concepts; seeks repentance and avails of redemption and willingly applying genuine restitution of what was taken
2. Wisdom is about soul-search, not just research (12)
A warning "Be careful" is given. A specific warning "Be careful of academic traps". A specific consequence "Too much study will wear you out." The soul must be fed more than the mind. Soul must be nourished more than the mind. Soul and Mind have different demands. It's the soul that should nourish the insatiable mind.
Soul asks ..."Where is my heart?" Mind asks... "What's the plan?" Which one weighs more?
Wisdom says Give your heart to its creator and He will reveal the plan in your heart. Take time to listen to a cleansed heart once more. An honest search of what the heart beats after, then a radical move towards the fresh direction of God.
3. Wisdom Is Fearing God from There Fools become Wise
Living well; Laughing loud; Learning deep; Leaning Through; Leaving and Ending well.
Expose yourself to the ways of wisdom. Go through its painful truths. Restrain from taking more than you can.
God initiates a Holy stirring in the heart of a sinner ... inviting the sinner to His love, into repentance and redemption by faith in Jesus Christ. When this mysterious spiritual encounter happens, God invites the forgiven sinner into the joy of communion with Himself!
Communion with God results in application of wisdom. Wisdom is walking in the fear of the Lord. The fear of the Lord means entering and enjoying God ... being loved by God and in freedom loving God. Because of this love affair, surrender and obedience to God now defines the rest of life's journey... This is the whole duty of man ... to fear God and obey His commandments. Let us simplify and joyfully comply!