Ecclesiastes 9:10

Scripture:

Ecclesiastes 9:10 (ESV) “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might, for there is no work or thought or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol, to which you are going.”

Observation:

I can only imagine what his hands looked like. While walking the dog, I came across an old shovel in someone's garbage. The blade of the shovel looked worn down and as I picked it up, I notice how the handle had grooves worn into it. Someone had used this shovel a lot! Today's verse says that whatever we do with our hands, we should do it with all our might. I am sure if the shovel could talk, it would share stories of how the owner had worked tirelessly, with all his might to wear grooves like that into the handle. I began to think of when I used to dig for a company. Hour after hour were spent digging. Blisters came first, then calluses would form as we dug. Such work is not easy, or something most of us would like to do hour after hour, but there is always a reward for hard work. Sharing Christ can be hard work but if we keep going past the blisters and calluses, and we harden ourselves upon the Rock of our Salvation, there will be rewards—a life changed by the hard work of our Savior. If someone looked at your life, would they see the evidence of Christ’s redeeming and transforming work?

Application:

• Personal Application: Continue spending time with the Lord daily. Sow righteousness and reap the fruit of God's unfailing love. 
• Family Devotional: Read this chapter to your family. Ask them if anything spoke to them as you read. Talk about their answers and show them that one important aspect of this chapter is that we must continue to spend time with the Lord and keep our hearts focused on His plans and purposes. Pray for them.

TOM SEMBER has been involved in ministering to men for over 20 years. He is an ordained minister with the AG in the NY Ministry Network. Tom lives with his wife, Carolyn, and children in New York. You can connect with Tom on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.