Confessions of a Church: Vain Work
The Psalm writer wrote: Open my eyes, that I may behold Wonderful things from Your law. As we come before a Holy God and hear his word, may we have eyes open to the wonderful and fearful things from his law. May it move us to repent and seek forgiveness, fear disobedience, and live in light of the grace we have received. This is the word of God. It is eternally true and applicable for all of life.
Ecclesiastes 2:12-26 12 So I turned to consider wisdom, madness and folly; for what will the man do who will come after the king except what has already been done? 13 And I saw that wisdom excels folly as light excels darkness. 14 The wise man’s eyes are in his head, but the fool walks in darkness. And yet I know that one fate befalls them both. 15 Then I said to myself, “As is the fate of the fool, it will also befall me. Why then have I been extremely wise?” So I said to myself, “This too is vanity.” 16 For there is no lasting remembrance of the wise man as with the fool, inasmuch as in the coming days all will be forgotten. And how the wise man and the fool alike die! 17 So I hated life, for the work which had been done under the sun was grievous to me; because everything is futility and striving after wind. 18 Thus I hated all the fruit of my labor for which I had labored under the sun, for I must leave it to the man who will come after me. 19 And who knows whether he will be a wise man or a fool? Yet he will have control over all the fruit of my labor for which I have labored by acting wisely under the sun. This too is vanity. 20 Therefore I completely despaired of all the fruit of my labor for which I had labored under the sun. 21 When there is a man who has labored with wisdom, knowledge and skill, then he gives his legacy to one who has not labored with them. This too is vanity and a great evil. 22 For what does a man get in all his labor and in his striving with which he labors under the sun? 23 Because all his days his task is painful and grievous; even at night his mind does not rest. This too is vanity. 24 There is nothing better for a man than to eat and drink and tell himself that his labor is good. This also I have seen that it is from the hand of God. 25 For who can eat and who can have enjoyment without Him? 26 For to a person who is good in His sight He has given wisdom and knowledge and joy, while to the sinner He has given the task of gathering and collecting so that he may give to one who is good in God’s sight. This too is vanity and striving after wind.
This is the word of the LORD.
Irate customers.
Covid mandates.
Sink full of dirty dishes.
Home repairs which never seem to end.
Disobedient children.
Bills piling up.
In life, it often seems that there is no end to the issues which bring about pain and anxiety. Long is the list of tasks, interactions, and duties which oftentimes leave one feeling troubled and frustrated.
For many, the reality of the curse placed upon Adam and all his descendants plays out vividly day after day:
Then to Adam He said, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree about which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat from it’; Cursed is the ground because of you; In toil you will eat of it All the days of your life. “Both thorns and thistles it shall grow for you; And you will eat the plants of the field; By the sweat of your face You will eat bread, Till you return to the ground, Because from it you were taken; For you are dust, And to dust you shall return.” — Genesis 3:17-19
As one engages with the world, especially in employment, entanglements naturally occur which often choke and stifle the believer.
We are warned of this tendency in the Parable of the Sower:
And the one on whom seed was sown among the thorns, this is the man who hears the word, and the worry of the world and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.
— Matthew 13:22
In his commentary Matthew Henry says of labor: "it is to most a force upon themselves, so natural is it to us to love our ease. A man of business is described to be uneasy both in his going out and his coming in, He is deprived of his pleasure by day, for all his days are sorrow, not only sorrowful, but sorrow itself, nay, many sorrows and various; his travail, or labour, all day, is grief. Men of business ever and anon meet with that which vexes them, and is an occasion of anger or sorrow to them. Those that are apt to fret find that the more dealings they have in the world the oftener they are made to fret. The world is a vale of tears, even to those that have much of it. Those that labour are said to be heavy-laden".
The Proverb today states in very clear language what many of us have come to recognize in our day to day lives: Because all his days his task is painful and grievous; even at night his mind does not rest. This too is vanity.
Is this you? Always in a state of unease, anxious, frustrated?
Has life and it's troubles weighed you down, leaving you vexed and unable to find any rest or peace?
Perhaps part of the problem lies in what, or whom you find your identity in. If your identity is wrapped up in what you do, your job title, your position at work, in the gifts and talents you employ day to day, in the pursuit of wealth, status, or power, then vain toil and the pain which accompanies it is your reward.
However, if your identity is in one who said "It is finished", one who sat down at the right hand of power and rested from His works, one who says "Come" when we are weary and heavy laden, then you can rest assured: your labor is not in vain.
“Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.”
As we labor, with God's glory as our aim, though painful and frustrating, it is not in vain. As we strive against world, flesh, and devil, though a grievous task, we can do it with joy knowing that Christ is going before us, treading down all our enemies.
May God grant us repentance where we have taken our eyes off Christ to be weighed down by the cares of the world. At this time, if you are able, please kneel as we make our petitions known to God.
O GOD MOST HIGH, MOST GLORIOUS,
The thought of thine infinite serenity cheers us, For we are toiling and moiling, troubled and distressed, but thou art forever at perfect peace. Thy designs cause thee no fear or care of unfulfillment, they stand fast as the eternal hills. Thy power knows no bond, thy goodness no stint. Thou bringest order out of confusion, and our defeats are thy victories: The Lord God omnipotent reigneth. We come to thee as sinners with cares and sorrows, to leave every concern entirely to thee, every sin calling for Christ’s precious blood;
Revive deep spirituality in our hearts; Let us live near to the great Shepherd, hear his voice, know its tones, follow its calls. Keep us from deception by causing me to abide in the truth, from harm by helping us to walk in the power of the Spirit. Give us intenser faith in the eternal verities, burning into us by experience the things we know; Let us never be ashamed of the truth of the gospel, that we may bear its reproach, vindicate it, see Jesus as its essence, know in it the power of the Spirit.
Lord, help us, for we are often lukewarm and chill; unbelief mars our confidence, sin makes us forget thee. Let the weeds that grow in our souls be cut at their roots; Grant us to know that we truly live only when we live to thee, that all else is trifling. Thy presence alone can make us holy, devout, strong and happy. Abide in us, gracious God, and please forgive us for all our sins against Thee. In Jesus's Name we pray, amen.
Prayer adapted from the Valley of Vision prayer titled "Resting on God"
Please stand and listen to the comforting assurance of the grace of God, promised in the gospel to his church:
Titus 2:11-14 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds.
To all those who thus repent and seek Jesus Christ for their salvation, your sins are forgiven in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Lift up your hearts!
(From the 06/06/2021 liturgy of Sovereign King Church written by Aaron Sabie.)