2016 Belmont University Lenten GuideSample

These verses give us insight to the complete and whole nature of God. He does not take one moment of our lives for granted. Rather, He has promises and purpose attached to every moment that composes our entire existence. Nothing is ever without a purpose. You are not insignificant to God but rather a vital part of His Kingdom. Read these verses again and consider the things that have occurred in your life. Everything counted. Everything made sense as part of God’s plan. God knew everything about you before you drew your first breath and has even organized the details to meet you in eternity. We find both patience and humility in this piece of scripture. We are reminded that nothing of this world is eternal: neither the bad nor the good. These verses comfort us in the knowledge that all pain and suffering must end, but at the same time it humbles us in that all the joys and wonders of this world are limited. The dark times will not last, nor will the good times. In the acknowledgement of this, it is important that we remain strong and faithful no matter what misfortunes befall us, and it is important that we enjoy and make the best of the good times while we can. In these troubled times that we all live in, it is important to remember that nothing in our universe is permanent. The ups and downs of this life will come, and they will test and strain us, but we should not get so caught up in them that we lose our way. One thing remains true throughout all of life’s twists and turns: it is our duty, as Christians, to endure these trials, and remain true to the Lord. Hold on to your faith, and no evil can toss you into the abyss. Remember, this too shall pass. In a time when bad news is raging on every broadcast, when experts are certain we are struggling like never before, Ecclesiastes can serve to both remind us not to take things too seriously, and warn us against wasting our lives on the temporal things. What matters is if we faithfully lived for the eternal King and Kingdom in this life. What we do now in worship and honor to Jesus Christ does indeed last for all eternity. So a life lived in pursuit of Him, in enjoyment of Him, and in the advancement of His Kingdom is a life not wasted. MORGAN TWEDDLE Sophomore Exercise Science and Spanish