Living The Dash

>Life has many mysteries that may never be answered.

>Here’s a list of just 10 great mysteries in life:

1. Why is it good to be a wise man, but bad to be a wise guy?

2. Why do banks charge a fee on “insufficient funds” when they know there is not enough?

3. If a deaf person has to go to court, is it still called a hearing?

4. Why do people say they “slept like a baby” when babies wake up, every two hours?

5. Why do they use sterilized needles for death by lethal injection?

6. Why do our nose run and our feet smell?

7. Why does fat chance and slim chance mean the same thing?

8. What if there were no such thing as a hypothetical question?

9. If money doesn't grow on trees then why do banks have branches?

10. Why do we park on a driveway and drive on a parkway?

These are silly, but there are some things we’re not going to figure out or fully understand.

After much contemplation, the wise King Solomon came to that same conclusion. (Ecclesiastes 8:17)

God does have secrets and we’re only accountable to those things He has revealed to us. >Deuteronomy 29:29<

>The truth is, life is unpredictable and we don’t always know what life will bring.

(Forrest Gump: “Life was like a box of chocolates; you never know what you’re gonna get.”)

>In life, both the righteous and the unrighteous are affected by one great equalizer – Death.

>Solomon saw this as unfair that no matter how we live our lives, our fate is the same. (verse 3)

*The righteous one who drives to church every week as well as the wicked one who stole a car will die.

*The faithful one who gives to the poor and the one who lied to get more on tax returns will both die.

*The one who reads the Bible & prays daily, just like the one who openly curses and mocks God will die.

>So, the question is, “Why worry about being good if we’re all gonna die anyway?”

Life is like a sandcastle on a beach: No matter how grand, the tide of time will roll and wash it away.

>But it’s not all bad – In verses 4-6, Solomon compares the living & the dead. Who is the living & the dead?

I believe the living as the ones who trust God & live in His will, and with that we know we have a future.

We can have joy in this life and the hope of knowing that death in this world is not the end.

In verses 7, Solomon tells us to go ahead and live it up – He even offered a list of God-approved activities.

It’s as if God is saying, “I am God and I approve this message.”

In verse 8, he mentioned white garments and cologne, which signify living a life of righteousness and joy.

He continued in verse 9 to say marriage is a gift from God we’re to cherish & enjoy; even in the midst of trouble.

When we know God is always with us, we can have faith that will withstand even the most difficult times.

>Life is brief and unpredictable, but can still live with joy and a happy heart with what God gives us.

>In verse 10, Solomon said whatever we do, we are to do our best and are not to procrastinate.

>Charles Spurgeon said, “No man ever served God by doing things tomorrow.”

Jesus tells us to work why it is still day, for night is coming and we don’t know exactly when night will come.

>So, let’s not focus on the end, but on only on what we are doing that brings glory to God.

When bad things happen, do we throw up our hands in despair or do we trust in God and persevere?

God calls us to keep going, even when we can’t see the final outcome.

>Things don’t always turn out the way we expect.

>Sometimes it’s hard to tell a difference between eagles & buzzards when they’re flying up high.

>We can’t always see how God is working in our lives – His ways are higher than our ways.

In a perfect world, everything would make sense, but our world is not perfect and it’s unpredictable. >Verse 11<

(1988 World Series: Underdog Dodgers beat A’s ~ John Wayne’s injury lead to his unplanned acting career.)

Trouble can strike anytime; just as it’s written in verse 12, We’re caught like a fish in a net or a bird in a trap.

Life doesn’t always make sense and things happen out of our control that have great effect on our lives.

We can control how we react & and when we trust in God, He will make good come from it. >Romans 8:28<