Ecclesiastes 11, The Value of Diligence

Jack Abeelen
The Value Of Diligence
Ecclesiastes 11:1-6


All text from sermon by Jack Abeelen--

Book covers four issues:


1. Monotony of life
2. Emptiness of human wisdom
3. Frustration of gaining wealth in short term, doesn't last, can't secure it when gone
4. Certainty of death

Overview:
Need to be diligent in serving the Lord because we don't know what's coming. Our limit of involvement is to be diligent with what God gives us. Then watch and see what God will do.  Excuses keep us from God's best.

Ecc 11:1  Cast your bread upon the waters, for you will find it after many days.
Ecc 11:2  Give a portion to seven, or even to eight, for you know not what disaster may happen on earth.
Ecc 11:3  If the clouds are full of rain, they empty themselves on the earth, and if a tree falls to the south or to the north, in the place where the tree falls, there it will lie.
Ecc 11:4  He who observes the wind will not sow, and he who regards the clouds will not reap.
Ecc 11:5  As you do not know the way the spirit comes to the bones in the womb of a woman with child, so you do not know the work of God who makes everything.
Ecc 11:6  In the morning sow your seed, and at evening withhold not your hand, for you do not know which will prosper, this or that, or whether both alike will be good.

verse 3-4 excuse
verse 5-6 encouragement

People excuse themselves from doing anything at all.  People are quick not to sacrifice to gain.
Gives examples:
Sending a ship asea with valuable cargo...what a step of faith that is...
A farmer whose livelihood is bound up in sowing and reaping...

Human nature has a tendency to want to do nothing.  Bad weather/Rain is "a given" part of life---challenges we will always face. Works of faith are never done under ideal circumstances.   Something will always hamper you serving the Lord, something you can say to the Lord "well what about that"

What you can't do is let your circumstances dictate your response.

We fear air travel over car. But in reality, 1% of everyone that dies in our country dies in an automobile. One in every 20,000 people dies on a plane. So it’s much safer. You want to worry? Let me give you something to worry about. You could most likely, before you’ll ever die on a plane, die drowning. One to 23,000 for planes; 1 to 9,000 for drowning. Or you could be electrocuted – 1 in every 5,000 people who die in America die of electrocution. Or let me really frighten you. One out of every 246 people who dies 4 in our country dies because they simply fell down. So here’s the clue – don’t get up!" -JA

Most of us are willing to risk it and live.  We have the additional fact that the Lord is in charge.

We are adept at finding reasons we can't serve Him.  There's nothing wrong with recognizing potential difficulty, but we should be aware.

God doesn't want excuses.  God can make of our worst, His best. All are called to ministry. There's great potential with God, isn't there?  Not so with you and me. 

Hear the wind, see the clouds, do nothing (v.4)  Excuse.

Don't be hampered by the inevitable.  God is involved.  But will never see if you don't risk it.  They don't believe their own excuses....they just hope you will.

Three times....."You don't know"   But you have marching orders.

The issue is that you and I need to learn to commit ourselves in faith even when the conditions are not right or favorable.  Never consider potential difficulties to do the will of God, get on and do the next thing.  I understand your hesitancy when you look at you; I just don't understand your hesitancy when you look at Him.

"The people who know God will be strong and do great exploits." Daniel 11:32

"...but the people who know their God shall stand firm and take action." Daniel 11: 32 ESV