PPic: Oberon Golf Course - Links Pro Am 2006

PGA Chaplain Bible Studies

Weekly Study No 9 - 18/05/2009

Ecclesiastes Ch 3:9-14

What does the worker gain from his toil? I have seen the burden God has laid on men. He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from the beginning to end. I know that there is nothing better for men to do than to be happy and to do good while they live. That everyone may eat and drink and find satisfaction in all his toil – this is a gift of God. I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing can be taken from it. God does it so that men may revere him”.(Ecclesiastes Chapter 3: verses 9 to 14)

Enjoy the beautiful moments!

There is so much satisfaction in life when things go well for us, when we achieve a great result whether in life, at home at work, or sport. I had one of those moments this week when for the first time in 4 years of masters pennants I played to my potential. We played against Monash at their home course on their difficult fast greens and every part of my game (particularly my putting where I have had big problems) was very good. If only life was full of these type of experiences. With every winner in golf though there has to be a loser. My friend who I played left the course frustrated like I have, on occasions.

I went to the Easter show this year to take Sayuri a Japanese friend who stayed with us for a year. It was so enjoyable with all the great displays of fruit, animals, products and food and to see the skills of animals, of owner and animal in partnership and of the woodchoppers. In the show you see the best we can produce and it is so rewarding and enjoyable, but expensive.

Our passage in Ecclesiastes is the first that has offered some real joy and positive words about life; “everything is beautiful in its time”. “ In its time” is the key though to its limits. There is a time when everything is beautiful. Think about those moments in your life that are beautiful.  The man who sees his project through to completion!  The birth of a child!  Or when my vegie patch actually produces a great harvest (I have yet to experience this). When it says God has set eternity in our hearts it reminds us that we would love these beautiful times to continue forever but they don’t. And so we get frustrated when the beautiful times pass, most things wither and die but this is where God is in charge. We cannot always fathom or understand why the beautiful times pass, yet we know from Genesis Chapter 3 that our toil and frustration in life has its roots in our move away from God and not trusting his message to us.

And so even though we do have these beautiful times we have to accept they have a use by date. That is the reason our author suggests to us that we should enjoy the beautiful times for they are a gift of God. I can think of many such occasions for me; getting a hole in one, of running a race and winning, getting a job, finding a wife, playing sport, having a family, building a house, serving God and so on.

The most beautiful time though in life for me was when I found the love and mercy and compassion of God through Jesus Christ. There is nothing I can compare to this in life. God’s love is amazing. We may not be able to control all of life but God does, and I trust that one day all of life will return to its original purpose and it will all be good and beautiful.

Gracious God, Thank you for the beautiful moments in life.  Help me to make another life also beautiful today. Amen.

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