What’s New?

We’re not without influence or responsibility, but we have to understand that this is God’s world, and we’re just living in it.  Everything “new” has happened before.  Everything “old” will be brought to justice.

It’s a reassuring perspective of God’s sovereignty, but it puts my personal role in a humble and small container.  I want to be held accountable to producing a life of significance.  I want measurable results to be expected from me.  It’s just tough to know that I could do all the right things that God calls me to, and have nothing to show for it.   I want to know if I got it right.  Instead of saying, “What matters most is how you played the game,” I tend to lean on the win and loss column for final assessments.

There’s nothing better than to go about the work he has given us, leaving the outcome to him.  This is a tough pill to swallow for me, but I think I’ll be healthier in the end.

¹² I know that there is nothing better for men than to be happy and do good while they live. ¹³ That everyone may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all his toil—this is the gift of God. ¹⁴ I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that men will revere him.

 ¹⁵ Whatever is has already been,
       and what will be has been before;
       and God will call the past to account.

 ¹⁶ And I saw something else under the sun:
       In the place of judgment—wickedness was there,
       in the place of justice—wickedness was there.

 ¹⁷ 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.”