Watch Out For What Is Vain

From: July 17 – 23, 2012

TOPIC: "Watch Out For What Is Vain" Ecclesiastes 5:1-3

When Solomon finally realized how much harm came to his life because of his great vanities, he then wanted to teach believers to retract from this. In the Book of Proverbs, Solomon warns of the vanities of which a believer may be tempted. Even when we’re convinced of the vanities in which ungodly men live, we need to be aware if we wish to worship the Creator and serve the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. There are many men and women called by God, and although they pretend to be religious in the eyes of others, they do and undo because of the vanities in which they live, well allowed themselves to be dragged by it. They think they still are religious and that's not necessarily good for them. Their own religiousness can annul them from seeing and understanding their need for salvation. Often religiousness is a dangerous ritual EXTERNAL lacking an inner reality. The Pharisees in the times of Jesus are a good example of this (Matthew 23:27). The vanity can infiltrate the religious life as in any other sphere of life, maybe even more. Therefore, let us open our eyes wide to see just what we are and not brag or presume what we are not. Let's be honest and truthful to God and live, fight and enjoy the greatness of being His disciples. Solomon advises us to take care of the exterior when referring to our relationship with God. "Guard your steps," he says in verse 1. That is, when arriving at the house of God, show up with reverent and considerate feeling. Consider the reason that leads you to reach the house of God. The world has shown us its vanity, now we are distant of that irreverent world and we should know well how we arrive at the house of God, guarding our feet! Our feet have trod the place where I WILL MEET WITH GOD! I should know very well where my feet are headed. It is no longer the world, now it is towards God. God, on his part is going to approach you with all purity and holiness to give you the best of Him. He will not give you crumbs, He will give you excellence. We have already discovered the vanity of the earth, betrayal, lies, deceit and more, but now we leave all this behind to approach God. In God there is comfort, He repairs everything; He lifts you in your falls, and fills with balsam all your wounds! If this is so marvelous, then take a good look where you place your feet. Pay attention to where you’re headed and how you do. You direct your feet to be in His house, in the house of God with an attitude of reverence. You come close to hear. It is to be prompt, willing, prepared with the proper desire to hear and obey; it is a sacrifice better than the offering of the foolish (Vs 1). It is not to hear just to be delivered from our torments, as did Saul, who sought to listen to David play the harp, but later threw the spear to kill him (I Samuel 16:23, 18:10, 11). Let us learn to behave properly in the house of God. The first thing is to guard our feet watching our behavior, approaching with an attitude of obedience to hear.

When we approach the house of God we should know and consider where we have arrived. It is not that God is far from men because of His greatness, but that His infinite majesty and greatness demands of us, His humble creatures, interior reverence and to have sparingness (words that are spoken clearly, are sincere, and simple) and truth in the word we utter in prayer or promise. Avoid indiscretion in prayer with false promises. The promises and confessions of devotion to God should be serious and truthful, from the heart. In the presence of the Almighty we should not speak hastily or compulsively. The fact that God is infinitely high above men, just as heaven is upon the earth, would have to teach men to restrain their words when approaching Him. Do not hurry to open your mouth, meditate first before you speak. Your prayer is before a living God, be careful before speaking to Him. When there are vanities they will be declared in that prayer. So you should fear God. God is in heaven, therefore, we should approach Him with frugality, sobriety, moderation and prudence. Let's be moderate in the use of our words. Let us choose our words carefully! You, weak creature on earth, watch out! Verse three says, "As a dream comes when there are many cares, so the speech of a fool when there are many words.” This confirms that just as the many concerns spoil the rest of the night, the MANY WORDS also obscure the sense of expression. The hyperactive mouth produces many words, a torrent of empty talk often foolish, even in prayer. Words are like leaves, where they are most abundant less fruits are usually found. Too much occupation absorbs the mind and that makes us have incoherent dreams. So, many words said thoughtlessly in prayer also originate the speech of fools. That multiplicity of occupations in worldly things makes us dream and also makes us pray thoughtlessly. Because we are so blundered into this world we forget the distance between heaven and earth, besides the fact that God is infinitely high above men. Let us open our eyes to see and consider the greatness of God. Let us dispose our hearts to seek Him with sincerity and truth, without vanity and lies, without pride and without empty talk, willingly and humbly acknowledging our need. Amen.