September 7
________________________________________
ECCLESIASTES 3
9 What gain has the worker from his toil? 10 I have seen the business that God has given to the children of man to be busy with. 11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man’s heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end. 12 I perceived that there is nothing better for them than to be joyful and to do good as long as they live; 13 also that everyone should eat and drink and take pleasure in all his toil—this is God’s gift to man.14 I perceived that whatever God does endures forever; nothing can be added to it, nor anything taken from it. God has done it, so that people fear before him. 15 That which is, already has been; that which is to be, already has been; and God seeks what has been driven away. – Ecclesiastes 3:9-15
________________________________________
ECCLESIASTES 3 GOD IMPRINTS ETERNITY IN MAN’S HEART
A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA
God loved man so much that he made him like him
He made everything beautiful in God’s own time
The Lord designed mankind so he will long for him
This is God’s imprint of eternity in man’s heart.
Whether a man knows God or not, he is designed for eternal life
This is why we have a sense of what is right or wrong inside us
Those who don’t know God would call it gut feeling or conscience
But for those who love God, they know that it is the Spirit’s guidance.
When we pursue material things, we fail to recognize eternal things
If we truly examine our hearts, we will trace this truth inside us
Everything that we receive from God is a gift to get closer to eternity
But because of sin, we fail to truly walk in the Spirit towards our maturity.
Do you find yourself wanting to end suffering and long to be with the Lord?
That too, is a manifestation of that imprint that he has put in our hearts
Let us then, remember that we are made to spend eternity with him
Let’s not be enmeshed by this world’s constant lure to rebel and sin.
________________________________________
REFLECTION
• What are some of the manifestations of eternity in man’s heart?
Tag Archives: ILMA BARAYUGA-DOHERTY
ECCLESIASTES 3 A TIME FOR EVERY MATTER UNDER HEAVEN
September 6
________________________________________
ECCLESIASTES 3
For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:
2 a time to be born, and a time to die;
a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;
3 a time to kill, and a time to heal;
a time to break down, and a time to build up;
4 a time to weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
5 a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
6 a time to seek, and a time to lose;
a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
7 a time to tear, and a time to sew;
a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
8 a time to love, and a time to hate;
a time for war, and a time for peace.– Ecclesiastes 3:1-8
________________________________________
ECCLESIASTES 3 A TIME FOR EVERY MATTER UNDER HEAVEN
A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA
God made all things at certain times
He created the light and call it day
When the day ends, he called it night
These are some of the boundaries he made
The Lord is a God of order; he won’t allow chaos
He gave life to us, but because of sin, we will also perish.
God gave us a chance to repent so we can be alive again
He gave us his only Son so we can be cleansed and be reborn
He created us in our mother’s womb so we can be alive at birth
Then, he allowed us to grow but there’ll be a time for our end
There is a time and season for all things in this life on earth
There is no reason to cling to one time, that is just how he made it to be.
________________________________________
REFLECTION
• What happens when we cling on to a certain season that we go through?
ECCLESIASTES 2 DO MEN VIEW LIFE IN LIGHT OF ETERNITY
September 5
________________________________________
ECCLESIASTES 2
24 There is nothing better for a person than that he should eat and drink and find enjoyment in his toil. This also, I saw, is from the hand of God, 25 for apart from him who can eat or who can have enjoyment? 26 For to the one who pleases him God has given wisdom and knowledge and joy, but to the sinner he has given the business of gathering and collecting, only to give to one who pleases God. This also is vanity and a striving after wind. – Ecclesiastes 2:24-26
________________________________________
ECCLESIASTES 2 DO MEN VIEW LIFE IN LIGHT OF ETERNITY
A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA
Every morning when you wake up, are you preoccupied with habits?
Are you automated when it comes to the things in your daily life?
Humans make so much fuss about what will give him pleasure or not
Are you living a life that has true meaning in the light of afterlife?
Does your work and goals in life make you wiser each day?
Do you do things for someone else’s benefit or only for yourself?
Men work very hard just so he could hoard wisdom, wealth and power
He even prays regularly to receive much blessings and favor.
What is the point of all the meaninglessness that life has to offer?
Is there a reason for living or do we exist on earth just for pleasure?
If the Lord has a purpose for our lives, how come we live for ourselves?
Did he create mankind so that we can pleasure ourselves with what he gave us?
Do we even care to find out why we are here according to God’s plan?
Do we stop to examine our hearts to see God’s imprint in us?
All that this earthly life gives us is to chase after what is transitory
Life on earth is all useless if it doesn’t view it in light of eternity.
________________________________________
REFLECTION
• What can change your worldview of life into the light of eternity?
• Why do humans like to focus much on the pleasures of life rather than pleasing the Lord?
• What are automated practices and mindsets that make our lives meaningless?
ECCLESIASTES 2 THE POINTLESS VEXATIONS OF HUMANS
September 4
________________________________________
ECCLESIASTES 2
18 I hated all my toil in which I toil under the sun, seeing that I must leave it to the man who will come after me, 19 and who knows whether he will be wise or a fool? Yet he will be master of all for which I toiled and used my wisdom under the sun. This also is vanity. 20 So I turned about and gave my heart up to despair over all the toil of my labors under the sun, 21 because sometimes a person who has toiled with wisdom and knowledge and skill must leave everything to be enjoyed by someone who did not toil for it. This also is vanity and a great evil. 22 What has a man from all the toil and striving of heart with which he toils beneath the sun? 23 For all his days are full of sorrow, and his work is a vexation. Even in the night his heart does not rest. This also is vanity. – Ecclesiastes 2:18-23
________________________________________
ECCLESIASTES 2 THE POINTLESS VEXATIONS OF HUMANS
A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA
Each day that comes, man seeks to pursue recognition and control
He works very hard so that he can fulfill all his cravings and desires
He chases wisdom and wealth so he can have a taste of power
He toils so that he can pass on and leave a legacy to his children
Man worries about the inheritance he would leave behind
Would they be handed over to those who deserve it?
Restless and in despair of not knowing what happens to their legacy
The pointless vexations of humans are futile and this makes it all vanity.
Humans get consumed by what he chases after
Like a ball, he goes around and around in circles
He worries about so many things in this life
As his vexations pile up, he becomes vexed by his death
What is the point of all these worries and anxieties?
It is the meaninglessness of what this life offers
Only God’s steadfast love can pacify these vexations
He alone can complete us and get us off from desolation.
________________________________________
REFLECTION
• Where does anxiety and vexations stem from?
ECCLESIASTES 2 DEATH IS INEVITABLE & LIFE IS FLEETING
September 3
________________________________________
ECCLESIASTES 2
12 So I turned to consider wisdom and madness and folly. For what can the man do who comes after the king? Only what has already been done. 13 Then I saw that there is more gain in wisdom than in folly, as there is more gain in light than in darkness. 14 The wise person has his eyes in his head, but the fool walks in darkness. And yet I perceived that the same event happens to all of them. 15 Then I said in my heart, “What happens to the fool will happen to me also. Why then have I been so very wise?” And I said in my heart that this also is vanity. 16 For of the wise as of the fool there is no enduring remembrance, seeing that in the days to come all will have been long forgotten. How the wise dies just like the fool! 17 So I hated life, because what is done under the sun was grievous to me, for all is vanity and a striving after wind. – Ecclesiastes 2:12-17
________________________________________
ECCLESIASTES 2 DEATH IS INEVITABLE & LIFE IS FLEETING
A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA
Whether we live our lives chasing after wisdom
Or if we hold on to a life of reckless abandon
We will inevitably face death as it is a part of this life
Fools or wise, rich or poor, we will all eventually die.
The wise has his pursuit of wisdom and chase it with passion
The fool chooses to walk in darkness, chaos and deception
But they all will come to the same culmination, their life ends
So, what is the point of all this striving? It is just meaningless.
If our purpose in life is to chase dreams or be reckless
Is it worth living since our lives will eventually vanish?
What if we live for someone who will give us a life without end?
Won’t our lives be worth living if we have assurance of eternity?
Physical death will then be a welcome thought because we will be united with Christ
Our lives will be with purpose and no longer vain when we serve the One who was Risen
Fear of failure, death and being not good enough will no longer haunt us
We will see then that life is not our master, but it is Jesus, who is our Savior.
________________________________________
REFLECTION
• Why do some people fear death? How should believers view death?
ECCLESIASTES 2 THE POINTLESSNESS OF PLEASURES & TOIL
September 1
________________________________________
ECCLESIASTES 2
I said in my heart, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure; enjoy yourself.” But behold, this also was vanity. 2 I said of laughter, “It is mad,” and of pleasure, “What use is it?” 3 I searched with my heart how to cheer my body with wine—my heart still guiding me with wisdom—and how to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was good for the children of man to do under heaven during the few days of their life. 4 I made great works. I built houses and planted vineyards for myself. 5 I made myself gardens and parks, and planted in them all kinds of fruit trees. 6 I made myself pools from which to water the forest of growing trees. 7 I bought male and female slaves, and had slaves who were born in my house. I had also great possessions of herds and flocks, more than any who had been before me in Jerusalem. 8 I also gathered for myself silver and gold and the treasure of kings and provinces. I got singers, both men and women, and many concubines, the delight of the sons of man. – Ecclesiastes 2:1-8
________________________________________
ECCLESIASTES 2 THE VANITY OF THE PLEASURES OF LIFE
A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA
Are we truly content when we get the pleasures that we obsess about?
Or do we crave more after having attained all these desires?
Do we chase happiness as if it will do us some good?
Do those moments of gladness satiate us long enough?
Why do humans pursue the pleasures of life as if it truly matters?
We acquire things that we think will make us complete or happier
And yet, we still feel empty inside after getting all these material things
Isn’t it all vanity, to chase treasures that will not last till eternity?
Would all our possessions benefit us at the end of our lives?
Could we take these things that gave us delight when we die?
What is the essence of life if we just pursue that which gives us pleasure?
Isn’t it pointless to live for what will disintegrate and not last forever?
________________________________________
REFLECTION
• Why do you think the author consider the pleasures of life pointless?
• Do you agree with his viewpoint on the vanity of the pleasures of life?
ECCLESIASTES 1 THE DOWNSIDE OF HUMAN WISDOM
August 30
________________________________________
ECCLESIASTES 1
8 All things are full of weariness; a man cannot utter it;
the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.
9 What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done,
and there is nothing new under the sun.
10 Is there a thing of which it is said, “See, this is new”?
It has been already in the ages before us.
11 There is no remembrance of former things, nor will there be any remembrance
of later things yet to be among those who come after.
– Ecclesiastes 1:8-11
________________________________________
ECCLESIASTES 1 THE FUTILITY OF LIFE & MAN’S DISCONTENT
A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA
We wake up each day and do our rituals to fulfill our roles
We work hard to get what we want and we’re always on the go
Day in and day out, we labor and yet we are not satisfied
Each day we expect something better than yesterday
Yet we cannot avoid that which gives us discomfort
Life will still have ups and downs whether we face it or not
Nothing that we see today has not already been in the past
The cycles of life will eventually happen, it will come to pass.
Our lives here on earth is pointless and without a purpose
If we do not know why we are here, it will be useless
If we acknowledge the Lord, the Maker of all things
Then life won’t be meaningless, it will be worthwhile
So, all those who have been chosen, let us renew our minds
Bring it captive and obedient to Christ, so we can truly find
The Lord fills our hearts with his faithfulness and love
If we receive his gift, our discontent gets transformed into joy.
________________________________________
REFLECTION
• How can we break the cycle of discontent in our lives and appreciate the simplicity of things that God has created and given to us?
ECCLESIASTES 1 A LIFE WITHOUT GOD IS VANITY
August 29
________________________________________
ECCLESIASTES 1
The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.
2 Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher, vanity of vanities! All is vanity.
3 What does man gain by all the toil at which he toils under the sun?
4 A generation goes, and a generation comes, but the earth remains forever.
5 The sun rises, and the sun goes down, and hastens to the place where it rises.
6 The wind blows to the south and goes around to the north;
around and around goes the wind, and on its circuits the wind returns.
7 All streams run to the sea, but the sea is not full;
to the place where the streams flow, there they flow again. – Ecclesiastes 1:1-7
________________________________________
ECCLESIASTES 1 A LIFE WITHOUT GOD IS VANITY
A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA
This world is not where the kingdom of God is
It is only a place where we stopover in our journey
The world and everything that is in it belongs to Satan
Therefore, all physical things cannot be taken to God’s kingdom.
Because of our sinful nature, all of our desires are worldly
Unless we commit to the Lord, everything we do is vanity
Everything we do on earth belongs to the systems of this world
But the Lord love us so he gave us freedom through his word.
Every little or big thing we do in our lives doesn’t really matter
It is all meaningless unless we follow the path to righteousness
Why do we toil so hard just to get our wants and desires met?
That too, is pointless; it doesn’t satisfy us; it still makes our lives empty.
Look at everything around you, is there a meaning to it all?
We toil, we watch the things happen around us, yet we fail
Without divine intervention, we will never understand life’s meaning
But only in God can we appreciate life and recognize his reason for his creation.
________________________________________
REFLECTION
• Why do you think that life is meaningless without God? Share some experiences that you have encountered that will prove the emptiness of life without God.