Ecclesiastes 12:13-14, "Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil." 2 Corinthians 3:17, "Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom."

Think

As the saying goes, you save the best for last! This is why a concert closes the show with a hit song and dessert is saved for the end of the meal. The same is true in Ecclesiastes. The entire book explores the meaning of our fleeting lives and then ends by giving us the bottom line for how to live a life that is not meaningless: Fear and obey God. This fear of God is a reverence that motivates rather than a revelation that paralyzes. Through twelve chapters, Solomon exposed the emptiness of pursuing life apart from God. Now he concludes that what should motivate us is a healthy respect for the One who made us and a willingness to do what He says. At the end of life, God will judge us for everything we do and say, in secret or in public, whether good or bad. Yes, we are to live joyfully and confidently. But we are also to live a life showing complete respect for the One who made us. And remember, God's ways don't restrict, they liberate. Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom! A fulfilling, meaningful life is available through Him!

Act

Write down two behaviors in your life that you know are not in line with what God would have you do. Now write down what you know you should do regarding those two behaviors. Commit today to make the necessary changes to do what is right in God's eyes.

Pray

Dear God, I respect and obey You. I confess that (name your two behaviors listed) are not what You want for my life. I choose today to make the necessary changes to do what's right in Your eyes. I do so because I know that where You are, there is freedom. Amen.