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PGA Chaplain Bible StudiesWeekly Study No 10 - 26/05/2009 10 Ecclesiastes Ch 3:15-17 “Whatever is has already been, and what will be has been before; and God will call the past into account. And I saw something else under the sun: In the place of judgment – wickedness was there, in the place of justice – wickedness was there. I thought in my heart, “God will bring to judgment both the righteous and the wicked, for there will be a time for every activity, a time for every deed”.(Ecclesiastes Chapter 3: verses 15 to 17). Naked Before God!I am a rugby league fan and like many fans have been disappointed at the number of sexual, violent, alcohol and drug abuses that have marred the code in recent times. The high price you pay for being a sportsperson in the NRL is the standards they have and that your life is public property. The players have to learn to live with being in the spotlight all the time. What once went unnoticed or swept under the carpet is no longer the case. While I have some sympathy for footballers who cannot have any privacy in public, the values and ethics the NRL promotes is good for our society. For most Australians though, there will be no accountability like this in the papers since life in society is a lot more free and loose. Apart from the above, in sport there is always the problem of cheating, whether it is breaking the rules, drugs or trying to find an advantage over your opponent. I would be surprised if there is anyone who has not cheated, or had problems with alcohol, sex, unacceptable behaviour, anger, or with cheating in sport. What is frustrating is when there is nothing you can do about it. Or like the rest of us, you live with the guilt, knowing that your problems are just as bad as the ones being written about in the papers. This is the frustration of our author in our reading today. First that there is wickedness, second that wickedness is here to stay. Justice doesn’t always happen in this world, though we live in a country where we have a reasonable chance compared to other nations. Our reading this week reminds us that we have a creator, that we are installed with values and ethics that should shape our behaviour. One day we all will have to give an account of our life to God. That makes me feel uncomfortable because I know that in my life I have cheated, acted in an unjust, uncaring or unethical ways, so I also am guilty. Every inclination of our heart is towards evil says God in Genesis Chapter 8 verse 21. This is not to say we are not capable of doing good because we are, but it is to acknowledge the pull, the strain in each of us towards selfishness and evil. For God this is unacceptable. God can change this in our lives. He sent Jesus to deal with this problem. The different Jesus makes is that he has taken the judgment for us in dying for our sins. When we turn to Jesus and follow him, God remembers our sins no more. This is more than saying a few words, it involves an attitude of regret and a desire to change, to love God and keep his commands. God gives us the capacity to be better people. I have certainly found this in my life. I no longer need to try to pretend I am better than I am, or excuse bad behaviour. It is better to confess them and start afresh. I pray to God asking for help to live with integrity, with honesty, with justice and it makes a difference for me. God gives us this help through the Holy Spirit. I hope you can find the same freedom from judgment and strength to be a better person. Gracious God, Lord you know everything about us, yet you still love us and call us to account for our lives. Thank you for Jesus who brings us out of judgment into a new life. Amen.
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