Latest Thoughts of the Day

Ecclesiastes 1:7

5/15/2026

All streams flow into the sea, yet the sea is never full. To the place the streams come from, there they return again.

Solomon will return again and again to the theme of senseless repetition of meaningless occurances . Instead of seeing strength and stability in established rhythms of nature, he responds as if these repetitions are boring. He is determined to view life “under the sun”, and under the sun one is doomed to frustration. Of course, reality does break into his consciousness from time to time, and actually by the end Solomon has settled down to a realization of God’s presence and wisdom. The recycling of water becomes, not a meaningless repetition but a wise provision of a wise and powerful God. Solomon strikes out at God and ends up resting secure in His bosom. Granted wisdom, pursuing wisdom, Solomon ultimately achieves wisdom pointing to Jesus.

Proverbs 1:7

5/14/2026

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.

It will always be wise to take God seriously. Knowing God will always involve an intelligent and purposeful submission to His will and way. Taking God seriously and submitting to His way opens the human mind to understanding. Stubborn selfish resistance closes the mind to true understanding and dooms the life to defeat. Jesus said, “If any man would come after me he must deny himself, take up his cross and follow me.” Help us, Lord, always to connect understanding with obedience. Help us ever to walk in Your way. Taking You seriously is the very beginning. Wisdom and discipline will always be fundamental to a true knowledge of Jesus. Help us put our lives in order as we seek to grow in wisdom and understanding. Help us focus on Jesus.

Psalm 2:1

5/13/2026

Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain?

Why keep up the fight? Satan hoped that his rebellion against God would end in success, but it ended in humiliating defeat. How could it not have done so? Satan promised Eve and Adam that they could be like God, but Satan’s plan only brought terrible ruin and defeat. Any power in history that has risen against God eventually comes to nothing. He does according to His will in the armies of heaven and earth, and none can stay His hand. Why keep fighting? We are very thankful to know that in the purposes of God evil will be unmasked and utterly defeated by His almighty power. The panorama of history will reveal how God uses evil in the world, but why an individual joins himself to that evil remains an enigma. We will cling to Jesus.

Job 1:7

5/12/2026

The Lord said to Satan,"Where have you come from?" Satan answered, "From roaming through the earth and going back and forth in it."

Satan is clearly not omnipresent, but must depend on roaming around in order to preserve his effectiveness. Peter speaks of Satan as “roaming about seeking whom he may devour.” There is no rest for the wicked. The way of peace he has not known. God calls Satan to account, and in this context points out an individual especially appreciated by God. It will sound like He is boasting about one in whom He is especially well-pleased. And so Job is. God delights in him, and God is willing for Job to be tried mercilessly in order to display his true mettle. It was an honor for Job to be so tested. Lord, enable our trials to display a sincere love for Jesus.

Esther 1:7

5/11/2026

Wine was served in goblets of gold, each one different, and the royal wine was abundant, in keeping with the king's liberality.

No mass-produced goblets to serve the wine at this party! Every mug was one-of-a-kind individually fashioned be an artisan. This comes across as an utterly unnecessary expenditure, but that is exactly to point of this party. Excess pushing into ridiculous. The goal is not to care for the needs of your guest, but to show everybody how rich you are. Does such a thing go on in our day? When it does it displays the character of those who pursue this for themselves. It demonstrates their values and lets others know who it is that they want to impress. No doubt it can be used for good. Social needs can be real needs. Help us, Lord, to spend our wealth in a way that honors Jesus!

Nehemiah 1:7

5/10/2026

We have acted very wickedly toward you. We have not obeyed the commands and laws you gave your servant Moses.

Nehemiah is not personally guilty of these sins, but he prays with earnestness to repent for the sins of his nation. He had heard very discouraging reports from Jerusalem. He longs for the labors of his fellow-Jews to prosper. He is in a place of power but can see no way to use his influence to actually improve the situation. At this point all he can do is pray, and he does so personally and sincerely. God hears his prayers and will presently open a way in which he can be used to rescue the people, to further the purposes of God in Jerusalem and ultimately to prepare for the coming of the Lord into the world. Through Nehemiah’s prayers God will make ready the way for Jesus.

Ezra 1:7

5/9/2026

Moreover, King Cyrus brought out the articles belonging to the Temple of the Lord, which Nebuchadnezzar had caried away from Jerusalem and had placed in the temple of his god.

It was not chaos that had overtaken Jerusalem. The conquerors had observed, evaluated, counted and stored every precious article they had take away as booty. For over seventy years these objects had been kept secure and safe and organized in a way that made it possible to have them brought out and distributed according to the reigning sovereign’s will. For his own political ends, Cyrus had the objects collected and returned to Jerusalem, to reside at the Temple that would be rebuilt. It is remarkable to see sinful men able to keep track of things like this. Even the ungodly God directs to carry out His purposes in preparing the world for the entering of His Son Jesus.

2 Chronicles 1:7

5/8/2026

That night God appeared to Solomon and said to him, "Ask for whatever you want me to give you."

Just before David died there had been an attempted coup, so it took a while for the king issue to be fully settled. But now it is settled and celebrated with a thousand burnt offerings, a great multitude feasting in celebration. It was that night—in the glow of victory and security—that God appeared to Solomon to test him. Offer him what he wants and see what it truly is. God is pleased by Solomon’s desire for wisdom to lead so great a people. A servant-king is what David had been, deep down. Solomon’s answer is very much like what David’s would have been. God was pleased, and freely granted the request, along with riches and honor and success and notoriety. A servant-king would be like Jesus.