God is real. His words are true. Oftentimes in this life the truth is obscured however and can not easily be discerned. Life isn’t fair. This is a profound reality. Many times life does not make sense. Why is there so much evil in the world? Why do innocent people suffer? Why is there so much injustice in the world? So much inequity? So much oppression from people who have power over others and use it wrongfully? Solomon , the Patriarch of wisdom , as described in the Bible, tells us a story in the book of Ecclesiastes of an event which greatly impressed him. For Solomon to share with us, something which greatly moved him, a man of profound insight and understanding as given to him by God, should cause us to sit up and listen carefully. In Ecclesiastes chapter 9: 13 the Bible reads, ” This wisdom have I seen also under the sun, and it seemed great to me: There was a little city and a few men in it; and there came a great king against it, and besieged it, and built great bulwarks against it: Now there was found in it a poor wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city; yet no man remembered that same poor man.” Then said I, Wisdom is better than strength: nevertheless the poor man’s wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard. The words of wise men are heard in quiet more than the cry of him that ruleth among fools. Wisdom is better than weapons of war: but one sinner destroyeth much good.” What do we make of Solomon’s words here? He tells us of injustice, oppression, and the seeming reward of fools in this life. He even goes so far as to say that despite the poor man’s wisdom, the deliverance of a city besieged, and the rebuke of a wicked king, the reward and acknowledgement of such wisdom is dismissed. How often do we not see this in action in real life? The words of wise men go unheeded. Fools are girded up by the cries of oppressors of greater foolishness. It seems so unfair and unjust. Where is the justice of God? When will it all make sense, and the wickedness and the uprightness of men just rewarded. That day is coming, though at times it seems afar off. But we must remember, it is not this world’s approval, or success or transient power that will have lasting impact on the souls of men, or on how each one of us experiences eternity. Undoubtedly there is a lot of gray , mixed in with dark shades and brilliant whites, so closely mixed together at times or shadowed by one another that it is difficult to discern what is and what isn’t of truth in this world. Life goes on, at times in a course leaving no trace of a greater power, or purpose to the existence we experience, and we can cave in to despair if we fail to see life from God’s perspective. God promises that HE is a rewarder of the evil and the just. He declares in His word that His eyes look out throughout the whole earth, beholding the evil and the good. He is all seeing, all powerful and He is sovereign, writing history (His-story) according to His will and His good pleasure. One day, in God’s eternal economy both the poor wise man, and the fool will be rewarded perfectly. The reality of God is no less potent, though He remains unseen by the human eye, than it will be in that day when, every eye shall see HIM. He will judge this world in truth and in righteousness. The gray, the inconsistent hues of our fickle whims will be examined under the light of His truth. When He reigns there will be no “interpretation” of the matter by those who exercise such power to filter truth to their advantage in this life. It will be handed down perfectly and exquisitely by the God whose very name is truth, and we will accept it because it will be made plain to us. There will be no argument, because the lights will be turned on and we will all then see what God sees. What matters now is do we trust Him? Those of us called by His name, do we trust in Him? I’ll admit it is hard sometimes, we don’t have all the pieces to the puzzle, and cannot see the big picture. In response to this He has given us a lamp unto our feet and a light to be our guide. It is to be found in His word. But He requires something more of both the poor man described by Solomon in Ecclesiastes and by us. He wants us to trust Him in the dark, without getting bitter, cynical, and faithless. This is hard. He knows its hard. It’s hard to see a beautiful picture when all you can see are shades of gray and black, and the devil seems to be winning. Why does He take us to these desolate places of seeming hopelessness? Could it be that because it is here, that true faith is born? For faith is the evidence of things, “not seen”. That is true faith. Why do we expect to embrace true faith on a clear blue day upon a mountaintop with a 40 mile view into the horizon? That wouldn’t be faith, that would be sight, and sight is not worthy of the reward that faith is worthy of. What does it mean to God when we exercise faith in the dark? We can only guess, but I wonder if He doesn’t consider it one of the most pure forms of worship and love for Him that we are capable of. The choice to continue to do right amidst great suffering and persecution, or to hold true to His calling on your life at the expense of great personal cost, when the excitement and enthusiasm of fulfilling that calling have long since departed. This is when our faith, perhaps, in God’s eyes becomes “real”. When we can say with a full heart” this isn’t fun anymore God” but I am going to follow you anyway. When no one else cares or even acknowledges your efforts. God will and He does. Not quitting is amazing. Even if little seems accomplished and the purpose to which you’ve been called, shallow and hopeless, to not quit, to keep the faith, finish the course, is to overcome and is worthy of a reward, and a wonderful testimony to the reality of God.
Sarah Hopkins Art 