Who's in Charge of this mess? I Samuel 9:1-2

What is it about man that we feel the need to have somebody in charge? It didn’t take the people of Israel long to decide that they wanted more than the prophets and judges that God had sent them; they wanted a king just like everybody else. Why a king? What’s the value of having someone visibly in charge, a representative of the people? For the people of Israel it was the hope that the repeated cycle of Judges could be ended with the dynastic line of a king. (The people sin, God brings judgment, the people cry out, God sends a deliverer, the people follow the judge till he dies, and then the people sin again; cycle repeats itself) Security and continuity was what the people were longing for. In the end, they chose Saul because he was tall and handsome (I Samuel 9:1-2). He was rather different from the judges whom God had chosen to lead his people.
We’ve haven’t changed much since their day. We still choose our leaders (both secular and religious) more on the outward appearance than we should, and we still crave the feeling of security that comes from believing that somebody is in charge. Sadly, we’re just as mistaken as the people of Israel were. Saul wasn’t in charge, God was and God is. Calling someone a king, or president, chairman or chancellor doesn’t change a thing. If you want to have peace of mind about your life, your community, or our nation, you need to start paying attention to someone what actually is capable of running things.

Joshua 24:15 "As for me and my household"

I’ve always been partial to Joshua’s advice to the people of Israel when he knew that his days as their leader were coming to a close. “If serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve…But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.” (Joshua 24:15) Joshua made it clear to the people that he would not be at the mercy of public opinion. His desire to worship and serve the LORD was firm and not to be cast aside no matter what. Joshua also felt confident enough to speak on behalf of his own household. As a husband and father Joshua ensured that his family knew the LORD too; his family, his responsibility.
Another thing that Joshua is saying here is that his household will continue to serve the LORD no matter what happens in the society around him. Too often we see examples of unbelief in our society and we let it discourage us. Instead of letting anecdotes from the big picture influence us, we should be starting at home, ensuring that our family is raised in the LORD from day one. Beyond that, the troubles that we read about various denominations shouldn’t discourage us from taking the responsibility of guaranteeing that our own church remains true to God and the Gospel. No matter what happens outside these doors, WE will serve the LORD!

When Nobody is Looking

In Matthew Chapter twenty-six the chief priests and elders of the people conspired together to find a way to arrest and kill Jesus. Oddly enough, they were afraid to do it publicly, and wanting to avoid the crows of Passover, they concluded that it should be “not during the Feast, or there may be a riot among the people.” (Matt 26:5) Here we have a group of conspirators scheming to put to death a traveling healer/teacher because they feel threatened by him, a bold and vicious move to be sure, but they don’t want anyone to take notice of their move. Do we act the same way? Are we willing to commit sins that we certainly know are wrong as long as nobody in particular is looking our way? It’s certainly a temptation, the notion that when we don’t get “caught” that we’ve actually gotten away with something. Of course God knows all that we do, but we somehow manage to convince ourselves that we’ve managed to keep things quiet. We’d all be better of if we remembered that our behavior in private and our behavior in public should always be Christ-like, even when nobody is looking.

When You're Not Having a Good Day

How do you know when you’re not going to have a good day? I had a not so subtle moment that let me know that my day was going to have some rain in the forecast. On my way to work this week, I accelerated my beloved Taurus onto M-66, only to have the engine rev, but the speed decline. I thought to myself, that’s odd, can’t be good. Sure enough, that was the end of the transmission, and the end of the Taurus. Now what? Needless to say, this isn’t what Nicole and I were hoping for this week. But when is it ever our hope to be tested, to have life give you lemons?
The life of Jesus, as always, offers us counsel when things aren’t going our way. As you know, Jesus had to endure difficulties and sorrows far beyond having a car break down on you. What was his response? Hebrews 5:7 tells us, “During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission.” The author of Hebrews goes on to explain that Jesus learned obedience through suffering, not exactly the lesson we’re eager to ask for, but a crucial one nonetheless. Is every misfortune in life a lesson sent by God to teach us something? No, but that doesn’t mean we should pass up the opportunity to learn from it. A last thought, Jesus was HEARD by God when he prayed for deliverance from the cross, but the answer was no. Are you in trouble? In need? Offer up a prayer with loud cries and tears; God WILL hear you, regardless of the answer you receive.

Acts 4:19 "Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God's sight to obey you rather than God."

“Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God’s sight to obey you rather than God.” (Acts 4:19) Those were the words that Peter used to justify his defiance of the Sanhedrin. The Jewish religious leaders had ordered Peter and the apostles to stop preaching about Jesus the Christ, the apostles declined to obey them. As Christians, we have an obligation to obey the laws of the land that we live in, EXCEPT when those laws are clearly in defiance of the clear will of God. Preaching the Gospel in defiance of the law? Not only the right choice, the only choice. Not paying taxes because we don’t like the way the government spends our money? Sorry, can’t go with you on that one, the whole “give unto Caesar” thing. Here in America we don’t have to make hard choices between our conscience and the law very often, but it wasn’t always the case. Example: the Jim Crowe laws in the South. Christians had the right to disobey them, and certainly should never have supported them. The Civil Rights Movement’s use of non-violent protest was both effective and Christ-like.
In other parts of the world the choices faced by believers are much more difficult than in America. Throughout the Islamic world Christians face death if they try to spread the Gospel, they know that their governments support radicalism and even terrorism, and many have no voice in their government. Compared to them, we have easy choices to make. As Americans we can work through the political process, we can protest, we have freedom of speech and the press. With all that freedom the primary danger is complacency, because we live in a “Christian” country it can be easy to go with the flow, to assume that we don’t need to face the tough choices that the Apostles faced when the Church was young. Well, the Church may be middle-aged now, but that doesn’t mean we don’t need to seek what is right in God’s sight.

A Parent's Dilemma

“When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son. But the more I called Israel, the further they went from me.”
Many of you will recognize this verse from Hosea because of its use by Matthew in his Gospel (2:15) to refer to the return of Jesus with Mary and Joseph from exile in Egypt. When verse 1 is read in combination with verse 2 the message of God’s love for his prodigal people comes to the forefront. In these verses God is lamenting the ironic reaction to his love that many parents also struggle with. When God tried to show his love to Israel, to call out to them, they only went further away from him. Likewise, many parents whose children are struggling try to reach out to them only to have that child draw further away in response. A similar problem can occur between husbands and wives when one is having trouble and the other attempts to draw them close to help, only to see the distance widen between them. How do we explain this phenomenon and what can we do about it?
The cause of this “flee from love” response will vary with each case, but in the example of Israel it was caused by the willful disobedience of the people. They did not want to come close to God because they were enjoying their sinful behavior (at least for now). What was God’s response? He continued to love them. He brought necessary chastisement against them, but he continued to love them.
What can parents and spouses learn from God’s experience with Israel? First, just loving more may not be sufficient, we cannot make people love us more by pursuing them harder. Second, don’t give up; God didn’t walk away from Israel despite the trouble they caused him, he remained steadfast in his love. Even when that child yells, “I hate you!” don’t give up. Israel eventually came back to God, steadfast love does produce results. Likewise, in America today people give up on their marriage far too easily, be resilient, imitate God’s patience and mercy toward you when you love your spouse, and know that no matter how hard it may be today, God has been there before, he’ll continue to be with you.

Contemplating Christ's Passion

As we once again enter into the Easter season our minds recall the Sunday school lessons of our youth, the Bible readings out of the Gospels, or some bit of a sermon we once heard. Of all of those acts that resonate two thousand years later, acts of greed, of hope, of cruelty, and of mercy; those which speak the loudest to each of us will vary. To some of us, the weeping of Peter after his betrayal of Jesus touches our hearts deeply as we recall our own failures. To others, the mock trial of Jesus reminds us of the unfair twists and turns we’ve experienced. Some will be moved by the women standing by helplessly as Jesus is crucified, their own experience of watching a loved one slip away not forgotten. For me, the words of Jesus during his ordeal seem especially poignant. His answer to Pilate, “Yes, it is as you say”; simple, and honest. To his Father as they crucified him, “forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing”, and to the criminal at his side, “today you will be with me in paradise.” Regardless of the moment of Christ’s passion which speaks to you this Easter, take a moment to stop and contemplate what God is saying to you through his Word. How does the agony and death of Christ speak to your heart, and more importantly, how does the resurrection of Christ uplift your soul this Easter?

Mark 16:15, Going into all the world from Palo

Mark 16:15 says, “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation.” In our corner of the world we’ve been endeavoring to put that command into action by giving an informational pamphlet that introduces 1st Baptist Church of Palo to every home within five miles of the church. As it stands now, the southwest quadrant has been completed using 250 pamphlets. (who knew there were that many!!) The rest of the surrounding areas will be completed in the near future, but for now, I’m asking that you keep this effort in your prayers. Some of the people that I’ve met during this process have been receptive, saying “thank you”, when I hand them the pamphlet and invite them to join us at church anytime. Other people have been not so receptive; a few giving cold stares and shutting the door in my face. Clearly, they’ve had a bad experience with someone representing the church (any church) at some point. In connection with the outreach effort itself, we need to continue to ensure that the First Baptist Church of Palo is a hospitable church (which we’re have been doing a very good job of) and also that we’re an open church (by that I mean a place that appeals to people of various church affiliations, or those of no affiliation; again, we’re doing a good job so far). When I knock on somebody’s door, and hand them a pamphlet from 1st Baptist Church of Palo, it is critical that they don’t have a negative impression of us already. For those of you who have been a part of the church for years and years, I thank you that my job is definitely easier because of the church’s good reputation, keep up the good work.

Is God Directing My Path?

How do you know that the hand of God is directing the paths you choose in life? Some claim to “hear” what God is trying to tell them, others “feel” the Spirit moving them in one direction or another. But how can the validity of such claims ever be tested, by the person experiencing it, or by anyone else? The first step toward evaluating the source of a “gut feeling” is to check it against Scripture. You will never receive anything from God that tells you to violate his will as it is already expressed in the Bible. If you think that’s what God is trying to tell you, I’m sorry to say the source of such misguided advice must either be yourself, or something more sinister.
Does my desire/feeling square up with Scripture? If so, what do I do now? There are two other tests that you can evaluate a choice in life by; conscience and the wisdom of respected fellow Christians. If what you want to do (or in some cases don’t want to do but know you should) matches up with Scripture, your conscience, and the wisdom of experience Christians; it is most likely a good choice. On the other hand, if it violates all three, no matter how much you want it, you should run away.
I faced such a choice years ago; having met a young woman that I fancied and being unsure of how to proceed. The question was this; could a Baptist and a Catholic get married? The Scriptures tell us to seek Christian unity, my conscience was clear, and the advice I received was mostly in favor. What to choose? Well, it’s been seven years of marriage under God’s blessings, and I hope for many, many to come. May God bless you when life’s choices appear before you, may your choices bring a smile to God’s face.

I Don't Want to LEARN Patience

“Why is this happening to me? What am I supposed to learn, God; patience? More patience!! I don’t have any left, I’ve already used it all to hold on this long; what now?” Most of us have been here at some point, we’ve been at the end of our rope and unable to see how any of the current troubles we face can be part of God’s will, or how any of it can “work together for good” (Ro 8:28). We’ve prayed, we’ve studied the Word hoping for answers, we’ve spoken to those we trust, but we still don’t have any answers. Where is God when we really hurt?
We all know the story of Job, how he was sorely tested in life by horrendously tragic circumstances, by losses that few of us could bear and go on. Job’s “friends” insisted that Job was to blame, that his troubles were the fault of unknown sins against God. We know that God was a righteous man, his friends were mistaken. In the end, God himself replies to Job, but no in the way that Job was hoping. He doesn’t address the specifics of Job’s troubles, nor does he offer him any explanation. The Lord simply asks Job if he knows everything like God does, or if he understands the whole universe as God does. The variety of examples the Lord uses when speaking to Job helps to illustrate for us how vastly interconnected God’s creation is. The Lord sees our whole lives, from beginning to end, and sees them combined with the multitude of people we affect for good or ill in our lives. How can we possibly hope to understand God’s reasoning with a view that is so limited? We can’t.
This may not be the answer that you were hoping for, but it’s the one that Scripture offers us. When it comes down to it, we must trust in the goodness and mercy of God, trust in the love he demonstrated through his Son, and trust that he certainly does know what is good for us, all of us. It may not be the answer that we want, but it’s the one we need.

How I Pick a Sermon Text

The selection process for choosing a Sunday sermon is to me an interesting one. As an independent church, I have the luxury and responsibility of choosing the text each week and deciding which emphasis from the text to put the focus upon. In the Catholic Church this process is partly decided by the liturgical calendar in which three texts to be read are decided in advance (OT, NT, Gospel); the priests know which texts they will be working with and choose one of them (or parts of two or all three) to make the message from. After spending the last two years working out my technique, I’ve found it useful to have multiple simultaneous series to choose from. Right now we’re working through Ephesians (almost done), Luke, and the account of the life of David.
Having that framework allows me to have continuity in the themes we learn about and also keeps the messages from being too scattered. I know that many preachers choose to preach on a specific topic or themes in a series of sermons that draw upon a variety of scriptures for their basis, but that technique has never really appealed to me. If an occasion seems to warrant a message on a particular topic I would certainly find a text that works with that theme, but I prefer to let the text that we’ve come to tell me what to preach to the church rather than try to find a text that goes with what I already want to preach. From time to time I find myself looking at the choices in each book we’re working through and I don’t seem to see something that will speak to our hearts this week. In that case, I often leaf through the Psalms or Proverbs, or perhaps look for a O.T. story that has a message we can discover in one sermon (like the one on Ruth). In the end, I’m simply hoping to try to bring the text of our beloved Bible to life, to help explain what it meant both then and now and to help us find out what God’s Word has for our lives today.

Why I Like Performing Weddings

This past summer I have had the opportunity to perform two weddings. The first was for a family member, my sister-in-law, and the other was for a couple I met for the first time this spring. Being involved in my sister-in-law’s wedding was indeed special because of the family connection and the years I had known my wife’s little sister; but after having done the second wedding a couple of weeks ago I’ve come to realize that the act of performing a wedding is in itself a very gratifying emotional experience. Wedding may be a bit of a pain to organize and plan, and pre-marital counseling, while interesting, certainly isn’t “fun”, but standing in front of two people’s friends and families during one of the most important days of their lives is one of the real cool bonuses of being a pastor. Part of the reason why I enjoy wedding is because I’m such a believer in marriage. I know Paul cautioned us about the extra duty that a man of God would have if he was married, but I don’t know how any pastor can survive without having a wife there at his side. We men may be a pain, but our wives are indispensable. God knew what he was doing when he created Eve for Adam, a “suitable helper” indeed. If there is one thing the church in America today can do to reverse the negative course our culture has endured it is to shore up our support of marriage WITHIN the church. We need to support each and every marriage within our congregation, encourage young people to seek marriage (instead of the false and cruel hope of living together), care for widows and widowers, and in general do whatever we can to ensure that when people think of First Baptist Church of Palo, they think of happy marriages. Scripture commands us along this path, and the happy faces I witnessed exchanging vows confirms it.

Being a "good" Baptist

What does it mean to be a Baptist? That’s the name on the sign, but what does it really mean? The most obvious of the Baptist distinctives is that we believe in adult baptism for believers who have made a public profession of their faith. In the Lutheran, Methodist, Catholic, and Orthodox Churches (among others), baptism is performed for infants as a sign that the parents and the local church intend to raise the child in the faith. As Baptists, we don’t believe that this is the best practice according to our understanding of the Scriptures, but it is the practice just the same, for the majority of the world’s Christians. What is our response? In the relatively recent past, being a “good” Baptist also meant feeling the need to condemn those who don’t practice adult baptism and even to question the validity of the salvation of those who attend such churches. That was the old definition of being a good Baptist; evidently, the church isn’t what it used to be, and that’s a good thing. Go ahead and be proud of being a Baptist, but keep in mind that it’s no longer an us vs. them Church; we’re in this together because the word Church on the sign if far more important than the word Baptist which precedes it.

My Favorite Verse

Quick, what’s the first verse that comes to mind if I ask you to tell me your favorite verse? John 3:16? Ephesians 2:8-9? Romans 8:28? Or maybe you’re one of those quirky Christians who have a favorite verse in Zephaniah or II Chronicles. Whatever your answer, the verse you chose probably has a special meaning for you. The verse may be well known, or obscure, but to you, it’s special. Maybe it was the favorite verse of one of your parents, or maybe you were able to get through a tough time in you life because you relied upon the comfort of one particular portion of Scripture. Whatever your answer is, and for many people it changes from time to time, I think it’s a good thing to have a favorite verse, passage, or book of the Bible. We all have favorite movies, songs, and (hopefully) books; why not favorite Scripture too?
You might be wondering, what’s your favorite verse? Well, my answer may have changed over the years, but it always seems to return to Isaiah 40:31, “but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles, they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” That is of course the favorite verse of most distance runners; we know what it is like to grow weary on the long miles. I certainly don’t run as much as I used to, my creaky knees see to that, but I hope I never stop thinking of myself as a runner, and I hope I never forget to put my hope in the LORD.

The Simple Things in Life

The simple things in life, do we really appreciate them? I know that a hike in the woods isn’t everyone’s idea of a peaceful activity, but have we as a society become so enamored of our gadgets and gizmos that we can’t enjoy nature and the company of friends anymore? Let’s hope we haven’t. I’m as much of a fan of my computer as the next guy, but I also know that I need to get away from cell phones and instant messages and just have time by myself reading a good book or riding my bike. If you watch the television commercials you’ll be convinced that only the newest toy or electronics gear can lead you to an entertaining afternoon, but let’s not forget that God created some pretty amazing sights to see. Here in West Michigan we’re only a few short hours from amazing beaches, with plenty of lakes and forest around us. If that’s not your idea of relaxation, the Tigers are winning again (amen to that); nothing connects two generations together quite like a nice day at the ballpark. I’m not saying you have to appreciate the same sort of things that I do, to each his own, but don’t let yourself be convinced that big expenditures of money are the only way that you can feel fulfilled; often enough, it’s the simple things in life that leave the most lasting impression.

Ed Dobson lives a year like Jesus

It is somewhat of a running joke in our society to make resolutions for the New Year and then a half-hearted attempt to keep them. We don’t take seriously our failure to keep our “oath” to ourselves, to lose weight, or save money, or stop smoking. Ed Dobson, the former pastor of Calvary Church (Grand Rapids); who is fighting an ongoing battle with Lou Gehrig’s disease, spent the past year following up on a resolution to live 2008 as Jesus would. For Dobson, this meant taking much of the Old Testament (kosher eating, grooming and clothing regulations, Sabbath observance) seriously in a way that most Christians never do. We know from the writings of Paul (and his opposition on this issue of Peter’s wrong stance in Acts) that the church is NOT under Law but under Grace. As such, the requirements that were laid upon the Jewish people under the Old Testament Law are no longer applicable. I’m not finding fault with Dobson (a man I’ve always respected, esp. his brilliant sermons), but rather using this time of making resolutions to give us a chance to ponder what WE should do in this coming year to live more like Jesus. What do I need to STOP doing in my life? What do I need to do MORE of? How can I change my attitudes, my feelings, my words, and my actions to be more in line with the Son of God?
The first place to start any such contemplation is the Gospels. If you want to be more like Jesus (and God has told us we must), you need to know what Jesus was like. For Dobson, that meant re-reading the four Gospels every single week (52 times!). We’re not all prolific readers, but we certainly need to be in the Gospels in our Bible reading at least on a regular basis (that’s why one of the Gospels is always in my sermon rotation). Once you’ve discovered something in the Gospels that you should be doing or not doing; put it into practice. Not just a half-hearted attempt, but a real commitment to putting the life of Jesus into practice. That’s a New Year’s resolution that will pay dividends long after you’ve given up trying to lose weight again this year.

"My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"

“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Familiar words to those familiar with the Easter story, but also not all that far removed from how we feel when we lose our sense of connection to God. For Jesus, it was the harsh reality of not being connected to the rest of the trinity for the very first time that caused him to utter that cry of despair. Our situation is rather different, although the emotion is in many ways the same. We’ve never had the close relationship with God that Jesus had until that moment (and renewed upon his resurrection), we walk with God by faith not by sight. We speak to God in prayer, God speaks to us through the “still small voice” of our conscience, through his Word, or through other people.
It’s the nature of this relationship that can allow us to feel abandoned or forgotten. We cannot see what God has planned for us, can’t feel how he’s moving in our lives, can’t always hear the reassuring words telling us that it will be ok. We can drift away from God, slowly, through trauma or disappointment, but also through success and triumph. We wake up one day, and we can’t pray, we don’t have the words anymore; we’ve told God how broken and beaten down our heart is, and we don’t see any response. Where is God now? How am I supposed to get through this alone? God, why did you leave me when I need you the most?
It’s in those moments of hopelessness that we can remember that God stood by while Jesus made that same cry for help. He had to, Jesus was dying for our sins; had God rescued him in that moment, how would we have a relationship with God now? God will never abandon you, God will never leave you. He is the God of compassion; even when you’re mad at God, even when you’re full of doubt or regret. Come to God, turn to him and you will see that he is where he always was, at your side, watching over your life, watching over mine.

Leave the Judgment to God

The winter doldrums; a time of fleeting sunlight, persistent cold, and long nights. For many, this time of the year can be very depressing. As a Christian, we should not discount the difficulties that those around us are having, nor feel somehow guilty to be struggling ourselves. Christians are not immune to depression, nor can we simply “pray harder” or “have more faith” to overcome problems that are rooted in our physiology. God created us as complex beings with a myriad of needs both physical and spiritual. It always bothers me when Christians decide to dispense a quick diagnosis of someone else’s problem, especially when that diagnosis involves a snap judgment on the status of someone else’s faith. Our faith is NOT judged by the circumstances we’re facing in life. Only God knows the purpose behind the good and bad “fortune” that life brings our way, and last I checked, he hasn’t told any of us about it. If a Christian has cancer, it’s not because he/she is a sinner or because he/she lacked the faith needed to be healed. And yet, we always seem to be ready to jump to conclusions, to judge first. Or, if the problem is in our own life, we seem quick to look for the lesson that God is trying to teach us (perhaps in the hopes that it’ll end quicker if we can prove to God that we learned something). The mind of God is far higher than the mind of man, let’s just let him handle the hard thinking. Why don’t we focus on our responsibility? Do the right thing, obey God when times are good, and obey God when times are bad. Oh yeah, don’t forget to be the first one to lend a helping hand, and leave the judgment to God.

Moral Relativism

During his recent trip to the United States, Pope Benedict brought a warning to Catholic colleges and universities to guard themselves against moral relativism. Moral relativism is the idea that there is no truth with a capital “T”, only truth (lower case). The lower case vs. capital use reflects the debate of the nature of truth itself. There are those who believe that there is an ultimate and universal Truth (esp. in areas of morality and discussions about God) and those who believe that all truth is individual and particular to each person. The majority of secular colleges in America have been preaching a relative form of truth since the 1960’s in their Humanities departments. It was the spread of this form of “truth” that worries the Pope in regards to Catholic schools. We in the Protestant branch of Christianity also need to be on our guard. Relative truth can seep into Protestant colleges and universities just as easily, not to mention Protestant churches. If truth isn’t absolute and universal there can be an excuse for nearly any immoral behavior. Abortion, divorce, business fraud, cloning, drug use, etc. have all been defended under the guise that there is no ultimate definition of right and wrong for all of us. That line of thinking is deadly dangerous for any Christian institution, be it Catholic or Protestant.

Nothing New Under the Sun

There are times in life when nothing seems to be going the way we want it to. Gas prices are up, food prices are up, wages are stagnant, and home values are down. At times like these politicians and reporters are heard trying to conjure the ghost of the Great Depression. Now, you and I both know that America’s current troubles are small potatoes compared to the horror of the Civil War, the scale and scope of the Great Depression, or the capacity for suffering of World War II. We’ve been through far worse. Likewise, church leaders are often fond of comparing our current moral situation to the Last Days, claiming that we’ve gone over the abyss as a people and there is no turning back. We’ve been through worse moral times too. There was a time that churches across America condoned or promoted slavery, times when American Indians were thought of us expendable, and the days before the Great Awakening were worse than these as well.
Everyone wants to believe that the time they live in is somehow unique, that things have never been like this before. As Christians, we are buoyed by the words of Solomon in Ecclesiastes 3:15, “Whatever is has already been, and what will be has been before; and God will call the past to account.” The wisdom in Solomon’s statement is timely for us as well; whatever troubles we face have been faced by God’s people before; whatever needs we have, God has answered for his people in the past; whatever mistakes we make, God has forgiven his people those same mistakes already. There is nothing new under the sun, we may not have been here before, but the Lord has, and that makes all the difference to us all.