(See the Intro to Ecclesiastes here)
1 Send your grain across the seas,
and in time, profits will flow back to you.[a]
2 But divide your investments among many places,[b]
for you do not know what risks might lie ahead. 3 When clouds are heavy, the rains come down.
Whether a tree falls north or south, it stays where it falls.4 Farmers who wait for perfect weather never plant.
If they watch every cloud, they never harvest.5 Just as you cannot understand the path of the wind or the mystery of a tiny baby growing in its mother’s womb,[c] so you cannot understand the activity of God, who does all things.
6 Plant your seed in the morning and keep busy all afternoon, for you don’t know if profit will come from one activity or another—or maybe both.
Background/Insight:
- The proverb in verses one and two seem especially applicable to today’s roller-coaster of a market.
- Diligence in the face of unexpectedness and trust in God’s greater wisdom are the thrust of verses 4-6.
- Read through and reflect on the text again. Think about how little of our future and our stuff is out of our control. Why do you think we work so hard to pretend that it is?
- What does this passage say about the greatness of our God and our relationship with Him?
- Spend some time in confession and prayer. Ask God to give you his perspective on this life.
Feel free to share any additional insights and prayers with everyone by commenting.
Farmers who wait for perfect weather never plant.
If they watch every cloud, they never harvest.
I read this and really thought about my life so far. I’ve held on to this belief that I really don’t know enough about God to share Him with anyone. (Figuring that the perfect moment will come along and I’d just know.) But that really hasn’t happened so far.
Do you wait to see how your life unfolds with an eye out for storms or do you just live it?