The purpose of Ecclesiastes is to spare future generations the bitterness of learning through their own experience that life is meaningless apart from God; while that of Song of Songs is to tell of the love between a couple, to affirm the sanctity of marriage and picture God’s love for His pple.
On Monday, we learn from Eccl 3 that God’s Timing Is the Best. On Tuesday, we learn from Eccl 4 to Thank God for Best Friends. On Wed, we learn from Eccl 5 to Thank God for Work & Retirement. On Thu we learn from Eccl 9 that God Desires Us Make Most of Life. On Friday, we learn fr Song of Songs 1-4 that God Fosters Love In Us. On Sat, we learn from Song of Songs 5-8 that God Models Faithfulness.
Let us humble ourselves and pray and seek His face. Help us O God be Christ’s disciples who Adore You: For You are Sovereign and Your Timing is the Best, and that You Desire us to make Most of Life; For You are worthy of our Thanks as You Provide us with Best Friends; as well as Work and Retirement; For You are worthy of our Praise even as You Foster Love in us and Model Faithfulness to us. In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.
Song of Songs is a wedding song honouring marriage. For it tells of the love between a bridegroom and his bride to affirm the sanctity of marriage; as well as to picture God’s faithful love for His people. God created sex and intimacy, and it’s good within bounds of marriage. A husband and wife honor God when they love & enjoy each other.
Father, Thanks for Your gift of love thru Christ & for sending the love of our life. You are a Faithful God and You want us to Be Faithful. Help us to Be Passionate; help us to Be Appreciative; help us to Be Devoted. And grant us Lord in so doing, reflect the love that comes from You God. Amen.
Lord, help us to Be Passionate: Shulamite: I slept but my heart was awake. Listen! My lover is knocking: Open to me, my sister, my darling… My lover thrust his hand through the latch-opening; my heart began to pound for him. I arose to open for my lover (Song 5:2-5). Lord, we are people with passions, and deep desires. Whatever can stoke our fires gets our attention. Lead us like beloved whose heart is awake to the calling of her lover. For when our hearts are awake, we are tune to whispers & suggestions. Stir our passion Lord for You; deepen our desire for Your voice; and awaken our heart to every Word from Your mouth. Amen.
Lord, help us to Be Appreciative: Shulamite: I am my beloved’s; and my beloved is mine… Beloved: O my love, you are… beautiful… (and) lovely… Turn your eyes away from me, for they have overcome me (Song 6:3-5). Father, help me to see the best in others especially my spouse; and to compare myself only to Jesus. Everyone needs to feel appreciated now & then; and giving compliments is something that I am not good at. Help me show appreciation by giving compliments especially to spouse. And I purpose to tell others what the Lord has done in my life in order to renew my love for Him. Amen.
Lord, help us to Be Devoted: Shulamite: I am my lover’s, the one he desires. Come my love, let us go out into the fields and spend the night among the… flowers. Let us get up early and go out to the vineyards. And there I will give you my love (Song 7:10-13). Shulamite: Love flashes like fire, the brightest kind of flame. Many waters cannot quench love; neither can rivers drown it (Song 8:5-7). Lord, as a marriage matures, grant us greater freedom on who takes the initiative to boost relationship. Help us be devoted to our spouse and let passionate love continues in order to cement commitment. And in so doing, reflect the perfect love that comes from You God.Amen
Song of Songs is a wedding song honouring marriage; and the most explicit statements on sex in the Bible can be found in this book. Hence, it has been often criticised because of its sensuous language. The purity of love represented here is needed as distorted attitudes about love and marriage abound. God created sex and intimacy, and they are holy & good when enjoyed within the bounds of marriage. For husbandand wife honor God when they love & enjoy each other.
Lord, thanks for Your gift of love and a delight for all our senses; Help us to Please Each Other; help us to Affirm Each Other; and help us Be Devoted to Each Other. And in so doing, reflect the perfect love that comes from You God; and affirm Your perfect will in marriage. In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.
Lord, help us Please Each Other: Shulamite: Kiss me again & again for your love is sweeter than wine… The king is lying on his couch, enchanted by the fragrance of my perfume. My lover is like a sachet of myrrh lying between my breasts. Young Man: How beautiful you are my beloved… Young Woman: What a lively sight you are my love. My beloved is mine and I am his (Song 1:1, 12-16 & 2:16). Lord, You created love as a gift to us & a delight for all our senses. Help us Lord to seek to please each other and encourage by expressing the beauty of our spouse. Amen.
Lord, we Commit Each Other: Shulamite: One night as I lay in bed, I yearned deeply for my lover, but he did not come. So I said to myself: I will get up now and roam the city, searching for him in all the streets… But my search was in vain… A little while later I found him. I didn’t let him go until I had brought him to my childhood home, into my mother’s bedroom, where I had been conceived (Sol 3:1-4). Lord, we are challenged by the passion of the Shulamite woman who went to great length to search for her love and to hold on to him. Pray for Christian married couples that God will protect their vows to each other. Pray that Christian marriages with God’s help can be strong & characterised by passion. For Lord, You want our marriage to stand for commitment, communion, faithfulness and permanency. Amen.
Lord, Help us Affirm Each Other: You are all fair, my love, And there is no spot in you… You have ravished my heart… A garden enclosed is my sister, my spouse… You are a garden fountain, a well of flowing water streaming down (Song 4:7-15). Lord, help us communicate love and express admiration in words and action that enhance marriage. Fill me Lord afresh with Your Spirit so that when I am with anyone, they will sense Your presence. And Make me like a well of Refreshing water flowing out to others. Amen.
Thus far the preacher has been concentrating mainly on problems of life without seeking explanation. But the deeper he probes life’s patterns and perplexities, the more conclusive becomes the evidence that points him to the solution: and that is Fear God. When wisdom turns to vanity, fear God (Eccl 7:18). When God’s ways seem uncertain, fear God (8:12-13). When all is said and done, fear God (12:13), for this is the whole duty of man.
Lord, we’ll Make the Most of Life: Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with Your might; for there is no work in the grave… The race is not to the swift nor the battle to the strong… but time and chance happens to them all (Ecclesiastes 9:10-11). Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man’s all. For God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or evil (Ecclesiastes 12:13–14).
Lord, I realise that the race of faith is not a short sprint but rather a long race that requires endurance. And Ecclesiastes 9:11 wisely points out the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong. So Lord, help me to press on and lay aside every weight to finish well the race. And grant me strength so that I can run the race with endurance. Amen.
Lord, we don’t want to learn all kinds of principles for living well so that we can appear to be moral and successful on the world’s terms, but fail to see our need for You. For we purpose that we will above all things Fear You Lord, keep Your commands, share the gospel and live in the light of it. In Jesus’ precious name we pray.
Lord, Thank You for Ecclesiastes that gives advice on living a full life. For we want to ensure all we have worked for hasn’t been a mistake. Solomon’s conclusion is that every -one’s duty is to Fear & obey God. For one day we’ve to give account of how we had lived; and we can’t give excuses to justify our failures. Grant us grace Lord to keep Your values and priorities in line and keep God first place in our lives. Amen.
Making sense out of life isn’t easy as the preacher of Ecclesiastes thinks his way through what he has seen and experienced in life. Every enterprise he has undertaken from acquiring wisdom to amassing wealth, has ended in emptiness. In a sudden burst of emotion the preacher realises that God indeed appoint the times & purposes of life. But his insight fades as he focuses on the futility of life under the sun and overlooks the One who alone can put life into a meaningful whole.
Lord, we give thanks in all things: Every man should eat & drink and enjoy the good of all his labour it is the gift of God (Eccl 3:13). Do not be rash with your mouth… Let your words be few… When you make a vow to God, do not delay to pay it (Ecc 5:2-4). It is good and fitting… to enjoy the good of all his labour in which he tolls under the sun all the days of his life which God gives him… As for every man to whom God has given… wealth, and rejoice in his labour – this is the gift of God For… God keeps him busy with the joy of his heart (Eccl 5:18-20).
Lord thank You for blessing us with work in this disruptive age. Grant us divine wisdom & strength to solve problems that may crop up. Help us whatever we do at work that we do it with all our heart unto You. May the work we do and the way we do it bring smile to all we come in contact with and bring You glory. Grant us grace at work and ministry. In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.
Lord, Thank You for the gift of weekend when we can recreate. Thanks for leave & season where we are not assigned many tasks and that’s Your gift of rest to us. And thanks in times of weariness, we can find Rest & Strength in You. For in returning we shall be saved & in quietness shall be our strength. And guard our mouth O God and prompt us to keep our vows. Amen.
Lord, thank You for the opportunity to step aside from the hustle and bustle of work and the opportunity to enjoy a slower pace of life. Thank You for the blessing through my working career and pray for continued favour in retirement. May I live the rest of my days in close fellowship with You Lord even as I purpose to do Your will. Open new horizons to serve You in ways that will bless many and bring glory to Your name. Amen.
Making sense out of life isn’t easy as the preacher of Ecclesiastes thinks his way through what he has seen and experienced in life. Every enterprise he has undertaken from acquiring wisdom to amassing wealth, has ended in emptiness. In a sudden burst of emotion the preacher realises that God indeed appoint the times & purposes of life. But his insight fades as he focuses on the futility of life under the sun and overlooks the One who alone can put life into a meaningful whole.
Lord, thank You for Threefold Cord: Two people can accomplish more than twice as much as one; they get a better return for their labour. If one person fall, the other can reach out and help… And on a cold night, two under the same blanket can get warm from each other. But how can one be warm alone? Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him. And a threefold cord cord is not quickly broken (Eccl 4:9-12) Amen
Father God, we give thanks for those who mean so much to us: Those with whom we can talk and keep nothing back, knowing they wont laugh at our dreams & failures. Those who by their warning held us from mistakes we might have made. Above all we thank for Jesus Christ Lord of our hearts and Saviour of our souls, in whose name we pray. Amen
Lord, I thank You for the friends You have brought into my life: For those who bring joy & laughter; For those who bring insight to me; For those who bring comfort & care; For those who bring inspiration to be what You created me to be; For those who spured me to be more than I would have been without their encouragement. And thank You God, the ultimate giver of all good things. Amen.
Lord, grant that my spouse and I may have understanding love for each other and be filled with trust. Grant us Lord the grace to live with each other in peace and harmony. May we bear each weaknesses and grow from each other’s strengths. Help us forgive each other’s failings and grant us patience and kindness. May the love that brought us together grow steadily over time and bring us closer to You. Amen.
Making sense out of life is not easy. And this is the problem facing the preacher as he thinks through what he has seen and experienced in life. Every thing he has undertaken from acquiring wisdom to amassing wealth has ended in emptiness. In a sudden burst of emotion the preacher realises God does indeed appoint the Times & purposes of life.
Lord, we will Wait for Your Timing: For everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven (Ecclesiastes 3:1). A time to be born & a time to die… A time to weep & a time to laugh… A time to keep and a time to throw away… A time to keep silence and a time to speak (v2-7). He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they can’t fathom what God has done from beginning to end… There is nothing better for men than to be happy and do good while they live. That everyone may eat and drink and find satisfaction in all his toil – this is the gift of God (v11-13).
Lord, You’re sovereign & do things at Your time to achieve Your plan, including moulding our character. Pray for grace not to extend the gruelling waiting time. Enable me be honest to recognise inner flaws; and in Your mercy, remove defects that keep me trapped in self will. Grant me a character makeover so that I can represent You well. Amen.
Lord, as human beings, we have a keen sense of having the right time in sharing advice or exciting news. But when it comes to talking to God, we tend to expect You to answer our prayers or reveal Yr Will right away. Waiting is hard and we don’t always know how to interpret the rhythm of our dialogue. Grant us patience to wait & watch for Your words. Amen.
Lord, I realise Your Timing is not the same as mine. I want all the answers to my prayers right now; but You want me to be patient and wait on You. So I lay down my concerns before You Lord and leave the outcome in Your hands. Help me to rest in the knowledge that Your timing is perfect, just as everything You do is perfect. Amen.
Backgrounder on Proverbs 14-17: Nowhere is wisdom more essential than in community relationships. A heart attitude controlled by the fear of the Lord is the key to proper response towards others. To promote peace with others, commit to godliness in motives and thots, tongue & temper as well as plans, paths and pursuits.
Lord, You will Direct our Plans: People may be pure in their own eyes, but the Lord examines their motives. Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and He will establish your plans (Prov 16:2-3). When the ways of people please the Lord, He makes even their enemies live at peace with them… We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps (v7-9). He who heeds the word wisely will find good, and whoever trusts in the Lord, happy is he… We may throw the dice but the Lord determines how they fall (v20,33).
Lord, You want us to submit our plans to You for approval before we act; for in this way, we show our love for You and submission to You. Forgive us that sometimes we make plans without consulting You God for we simply want our own way. Grateful You are so keen in my life that I can talk to You when I want. Thank You Lord for helping me to set plans and establish them. Amen.
Loving Lord, we thank You God that You are always carefully managing the details of our lives. Your purpose always prevails, even though we’re prone to forget that & may make our own plans. But then the Lord Determines and directs the steps of the godly towards a good outcome. Amen.
Lord, we tend to like to throw the dice, taking control of things and looking to You as our last resource. And we may go to You because we really have nowhere else to go. But in Your mercy, cause us to learn that storms of life have driven us, not upon the rock, but to goodness. Help us Lord to Heed Your Word and Trust wholly in You so that we’ll be glad with good outcome. Amen.
Godly living in an ungodly world is no simple task. But the book of Proverbs (the Bible’s primer of practical wisdom) teaches skilful application of truth to everyday life. Contained in this unique collection of poetry, parable and wise maxims are instructions regarding how to relate to parents and children, God and government, sin and self. And Solomon gives readers a divine handle on living to please God.
On Monday, we learn from Prov 3 to Thank God for Rewards of Wisdom. On Tuesday, we learn from Prov 8 that God Rewards those who Seek. On Wed, we learn from Prov 15 that God Hears and Gives Word. On Thursday we learn from Prov 16 that the Lord Directs Our Plans. On Friday, we learn from Prov 23 that God Gives Hope for the Future. On Saturday, we learn from Prov 30 that God Is both Wise and Brilliant.
Let us humble ourselves and pray and seek His face. Help us O God be Christ’s disciples who Adore You: For You are worthy of our Thanks as You Reward Seekers & Followers; for You are worthy of our Praise as You are both Wise & Brilliant; for You Give Word, Direct Our Plans as well as Cast Hope for the Future; In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.
It’s rare to hear anyone admit to ignorance but Agur does that. Yet with his questions about nature, he leads the reader to understand something of God’s brilliance in contrast to the limits of human understanding. The capstone of the book of Proverbs is provided by Lemuel, which praises the virtues of a godly mother (P30) & wife (P31)
Lord, we will Put our Trust in You: I am too ignorant to be human, and I lack common sense. I have not mastered human wisdom nor do I know the Holy One. Who holds the wind in his fists? Who wraps up the oceans? Who has created the whole world? Tell me if u know! Every word of God is pure; He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him (Prov 30:2-5) Lord, we will Be Contented: O God, I beg two favours from You… First, help me never to tell a lie. Second, give me neither poverty nor riches! Give me just enough to satisfy my needs. For if I grow rich, I may deny You and say: “Who is the Lord?” And if I am too poor, I may steal & thus insult God’s holy name(Prov 30:7-9) If you have been foolish in exalting yourself, or if you have devised evil, put your hand on your mouth (v32).
Lord, thank You for Proverbs 30 that contains wise words on Gratitude to God for protection and providing all that we need. You’re the key to Wisdom for there’s limit to human understanding. Help us to Apply Your Truth; help us to Put Trust In You; help us to Be Contented; and grant us Wisdom & Courage. Amen.
Lord, who holds the wind and the oceans? It is You Almighty God! You still the wind with Your voice. You orchestrate the changing of the seasons. And it is You who created me and give me purpose in life. Look into my heart & make me a willing instrument in Yr hand trusting You. For it is not about our abilities, it’s all about You God who does great things. Amen.
Lord, thank You that You care for us and that You are Jehovah Jireh, the one who provides all our needs. Help us to Be Contented with what You give us so that we do not fall into temptation & dishonour U God. For our materialistic culture creates dissatisfaction with what we have. Help us Lord to depend on You rather than in constant pursuit of saving and spending more. Amen.
