I am typically quick to read anything written by an Ortlund. Ray, Dane, Gavin, Eric, always give me something to consider as it relates to Scripture and I really enjoyed Eat, Drink, and Be Merry as we took a deep dive into Ecclesiastes. It was a great way to get my heart and mind in the right spot to kick off summer that includes a lot of treasured down time, time with family and friends, and time around the table.
I highlighted several things while reading and have posted those notes below…
- God is the great giver of everything truly desirable. For example,
• Eating, drinking, and finding enjoyment come from the hand of God (Eccl. 2:24–25).
• Wealth, possessions, and the ability to enjoy them are gifts of God (Eccl. 5:18–19).
• Joyful feasting, along with productive work, are given to us by God (Eccl. 8:15).
• The simple joys of home life are of God and worthy to be celebrated (Eccl. 9:7–9). p. xii - Ecclesiastes is asking us, Are you aware that God, in his wisdom, is offering you bold enjoyment? p. xiv
- Solomon wrote Ecclesiastes to help us do two things on our journey through this life: accept the shortness of it and enjoy the goodness of it. p. 2
- What could it look like for you to walk your path of joyous wisdom today? p. 36
- But in Ecclesiastes, “judgment” isn’t God bringing down the hammer. It is God sifting through the complicated mess of this world, including our lives, and sorting out the good from the bad: “God will judge the righteous and the wicked” (Eccl. 3:17). In this world, good and evil can get mushed together in a confusing mess. God sees that. He sees it perfectly. He is the only one not confused. So in Ecclesiastes, “judgment” is God separating good and evil, vindicating what is right and exposing what is wrong: “God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil ” (Eccl. 12:14). The point? No one is getting away with anything. God will have the last word, and God is just. So God’s judgment here in our verse—“God will bring you into judgment”—that should sober us. Someday you and I will stand before God. We will “report in.” We will give him an account of what we did with the lives he gave us. And he will tell us what he thinks. He will be a perfect gentleman, but he will not flatter us. Very sobering. p. 63
- What good and bold thing do you long to do, as an offering of thanks to God for his grace toward you? p. 65
- You’re going to need all that you are, all your life long, to accomplish all that he has for you. p. 73
- We have dug deep into Ecclesiastes 11:9–10, and for good reason. These two verses are packed with wisdom for living fully in an exhausted world. p. 89
- Too many people today are living on a starvation diet, while walking through vast fields of rich abundance. Yes, starving amid abundance! What starvation? What abundance? We are surrounded by displays of God’s created glory, and we ourselves are displays of God’s created glory. But we stubbornly hold back from our gracious Giver, like he’s our problem. But God’s heart loves to thrill our hearts with who he really is and who we really are. Why suffer deprivation one moment longer? p. 90
Categories:
