Confessions of a Church: Rejoicing in Labor
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 5:8-20 If you see oppression of the poor and denial of justice and righteousness in the province, do not be shocked at the sight; for one official watches over another official, and there are higher officials over them. After all, a king who cultivates the field is an advantage to the land. He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves abundance with its income. This too is vanity. When good things increase, those who consume them increase. So what is the advantage to their owners except to look on? The sleep of the working man is pleasant, whether he eats little or much; but the full stomach of the rich man does not allow him to sleep. There is a grievous evil which I have seen under the sun: riches being hoarded by their owner to his hurt. When those riches were lost through a bad investment and he had fathered a son, then there was nothing to support him. As he had come naked from his mother’s womb, so will he return as he came. He will take nothing from the fruit of his labor that he can carry in his hand. This also is a grievous evil—exactly as a man is born, thus will he die. So what is the advantage to him who toils for the wind? Throughout his life he also eats in darkness with great vexation, sickness and anger. Here is what I have seen to be good and fitting: to eat, to drink and enjoy oneself in all one’s labor in which he toils under the sun during the few years of his life which God has given him; for this is his reward. Furthermore, as for every man to whom God has given riches and wealth, He has also empowered him to eat from them and to receive his reward and rejoice in his labor; this is the gift of God. For he will not often consider the years of his life, because God keeps him occupied with the gladness of his heart.
This is the Word of the LORD.
Matthew Henry says that "A cheerful spirit is a great blessing; it makes the yoke of our employments easy and the burden of our afflictions light."
Some of you walk through this life wearing the shackles and chains of depression in the face of an abundance of blessings from the hand of God.
Some of you are wrapped up in the cords of the past. Always longing for what once was, and in the process, missing out on the blessings of God here and now. In an attempt to honor where you came from, to never forget the road you walked down in the past, you wind up missing out on the joy and pleasure of the good things God has graciously given you to enjoy now.
A few of you believe that rigidly, robotically denying yourself the enjoyment of the fruits of your labor will ensure that sin which once held you in bondage will not have dominion over you any longer. You do this not realizing that you are still in bondage, to your fears of what may be.
Here is what I have seen to be good and fitting: to eat, to drink and enjoy oneself in all one’s labor in which he toils under the sun during the few years of his life which God has given him; for this is his reward. Furthermore, as for every man to whom God has given riches and wealth, He has also empowered him to eat from them and to receive his reward and rejoice in his labor; this is the gift of God. For he will not often consider the years of his life, because God keeps him occupied with the gladness of his heart.
Brothers and sisters, we are here only for a few years. Our lives are a vapor, a mist. We appear for a little while and then vanish away (James 4:14).
Why do we deny ourselves joy and pleasure in the things God has blessed us with for that very purpose, the enjoyment of food, drink, and labor?
One can see how easy it is to find enjoyment in food, or drink perhaps. Just last night I enjoyed a delicious steak and treated myself to a soda.
But labor? We are supposed to find joy in labor?
How does one find joy in slinging 10,000 bags of ice in a day?
How does one find joy in the hard work of disciplining their children?
How does a young mother find joy in 1:00am feedings and screaming children?
How does a son find joy in the duties and chores given to him by his father?
How does a wife find joy in all her submitting and helping when nothing she does seems appreciated?
How does a husband find joy when his flawed, sinful attempts at leading are met with constant pushback?
How does a Pastor find joy in the midst of the difficult, painful task of shepherding a flock of wayward sheep?
How does a young lady find joy when she seeks to walk humbly with Christ, desires to glorify Him in marriage, child rearing, and family, yet there doesn't seem to be any viable options for a husband within a thousand miles?
How does an older man find joy when he sees the son whom he loves, whom he disciplined for years, going astray?
All of our toiling, our laboring, is filled with thorns and thistles, with fruit coming only by God's goodness towards us and the sweat of our brow.
He has also empowered him to eat from them and to receive his reward and rejoice in his labor; this is the gift of God.
Being able to rejoice in your labor is the gift of God, and yet so many of us find little joy in our food, drink, and work. Rather than trusting God and His word, we seek joy in things which satisfy merely our fleshly desires. We want our appetites filled, believing that once they are satiated, then joy and peace follow.
Rather than enjoying the good things God has blessed us with, we attempt to drink from waterless wells and broken cisterns. We will fill our minds with endless streams of entertainment, believing that is joy. Men will sit around fantasizing about women who are not their wives, and then take baby steps to fulfill that fantasy, believing that some harlot at work who will gladly destroy your family can bring you more joy than the fruit of hard work in marriage.
Children, true joy will not be found in legos, minecraft, or any other created thing. Twenty years from now your Legos will likely be in a landfill or melted down and made into recycled plastic trinkets. Minecraft will be one of hundreds of obsolete games cast into the dustbin of video game oblivion. There is your joy: perishable and temporary.
God has told us what is good and permissible to find joy in, yet we always think joy can be found out of bounds.
At the end of the day, when all is said and done, any joy sought in this life apart from faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, is a vain pursuit.
Any attempts to lay hold of temporal joy apart from faith in the Lord Jesus will leave you unsatisfied and the promises of blessing unfulfilled.
You will toil, and no joy will come.
You will labor, and no pleasure will be derived.
All of your work will appear tedious, never ending, and thankless.
Brothers and sisters, Jesus said "It is finished". He did all the work necessary for us to be able to find joy in our labors.
The work He did ensures that our labors are not in vain.
God asks:
“Why do you spend money for what is not bread,
And your wages for what does not satisfy?
Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good,
And delight yourself in abundance.
— Isaiah 55: 2
Are you lacking in joy and satisfaction in life? Perhaps the object of your joy is the created thing rather than the Creator. Let us repent and put all our hope and trust in the risen Saviour.
At this time, if you are able, please kneel as we confess our sins to God Almighty.
Heavenly Father,
Far too often we seek joy and pleasure in the gifts rather than the giver.
We seek joy apart from Your plan, grasping for pleasure in places and things which are out of bounds.
We have gifts from your hand all around, yet find no joy, because Christ is not our joy.
In our intellect we know that Christ reigns, that He promises to lead us beside still waters and restore our souls, yet rather than resting in Him, we seek out other pastures believing that this is where joy may be found.
Father, please forgive us for our sins against You.
Please forgive us for our unsatisfied, joyless hearts.
Please forgive us of our taste for things which only temporarily satisfy our bodies, but which leave our souls in shackles.
When we are weak, feeble, and joyless, help us to remember that the joy of the Lord is our strength.
In Jesus's Name we pray, amen.
Please stand and listen to the comforting assurance of the grace of God, promised in the gospel to his church:
Hebrews 4:14-16 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
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 07/25/2021 liturgy of Sovereign King Church written by Aaron Sabie.)