Ecclesiastes 11:1-10
Book Overview
REFLECTION QUESTIONS
A major theme of this week’s passage could be, “Seize the day!” Risk, uncertainty, mystery, and aging are all a part of life. But none of these things should keep us from working hard, being generous, and pursing ambitions in the days we have.
Would you consider yourself a risk-averse or risk-chasing person? Why?
Are there…
…risks you feel like the Lord is asking you to take that you don’t want to?
…ambitions you’re wanting to chase that you don’t feel free to follow?
…ways you want to invest / be generous that might seem unwise?
How do you evaluate whether or not those things are worth it? How do you known if a risk is worth taking, generosity is worth giving, or a task is worth doing?
What do you wait for, watch for, or feel like you need in order to move?
How much does uncertainty or mystery factor into your decisiveness? Why?
The Teacher reminds us that while we ought to “seize the day” while we can, anything we choose to do will have to stand up to God’s scrutiny. In the end, our actions will bring us before the judgment of the Lord.
How easy is it for you to rejoice (like The Teacher tells us to do multiple times!) when you know you’re going to be scrutinized / judged?
How can joy and judgment go together?
Read John 16:19-22. What’s the relationship between seeing Jesus and the presence of sorrow and pain?
How can the gospel help us “remove the pain from our hearts” and “put away pain from your flesh?”
What future promises can we cling to? How can those change the way we live today in a way that make us wise men and women of action?