The conclusion of the whole matter...

I read finished reading Ecclesiastes this afternoon. Good book. As I have been reading it and studying some of it over the past month or so I found many nuggets of truth, a couple things that changed my outlook dramatically and a few things that I know that I don't really comprehend.

When I started reading through the book I read the last verse first - don't know why, but it has been hanging next to my kitchen sink for quite a while. "Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man's all. For God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or evil."

This whole concept really went deep with me today - maybe because I finished the book and it makes more sense, but I think it is more likely that I was in a place to really listen and hear. I know there are a lot of decisions in life to make. Specific to my family are decisions like: more schooling? More kids? How do we use our finances? How/when do we step into minsitry? And many, many more.

I am a worrier by nature and tend to get overwhelmed by decisions easily. I will go around in circles in my mind until I am dizzy and never come to a conclusion. I think I realized on a new level today what trusting in the Lord, and not leaning on my understanding really means. I have heard it said that when the Psalms say that "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path," That the light used in those days was only enough to see the next couple steps. And here I am wanting to see the whole path! It stands to reason, that based on my understanding of God's character, that if I "Fear God and keep His commandments," that he really will take care of the rest- and infinitely better than I would. That if I truly make this my "all" then decisions will be clear, and only having enough light to see the next step will bring more peace than anxiety.

I love the way Solomon sums up all his thoughts, all of the passages that end in "vanity of vanities" with an admonition, to let God be God and to seek Him. Pretty cool - or as my 3 year old would say "That's amazing!"