“What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.” (Ecclesiastes 1:9 NIV)
Nothing is new under the sun.
As unique as our lives may feel to us as individuals, nothing is new. Unfortunately, people have cheated on their spouses since the world began. The Old Testament pages contain stories of sex, betrayal and murder.
One of the most gruesome stories in the Old Testament is found in the book of Judges, chapters 19 and 20. A man and his concubine, a woman who lived with him, but wasn’t his wife, are the lead characters. Long story short, they are traveling through a strange land. The pair stopped for the night. A kind man took them into his home. As they were eating, a mob of men came demanding to have sex with the man. Instead, they sent out the woman. The men physically abused and raped her all night long. The next morning, when her partner found her dead body on the doorstep, he took her home. He then cut her body into 12 parts and sent them to the tribes of Judah. The tribes all came together and exacted revenge. Hollywood has nothing on the stories in the Bible. Men have treated women horribly for centuries. This fact doesn’t make it right, just makes it true.
God’s purposes are new.
Knowing nothing is new under the sun doesn’t make dealing with our current issues easier. Our purpose in dealing with the issue is what is new. We still have to go through whatever it is we’re going through. As we face the situations of our lives, we grow closer to God. Our dependence on God strengthens as we lean into Him. God is working hard, even when we don’t understand what He is doing.
“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Ephesians 2:10 NIV)
Whatever God has you going through is for a purpose. Maybe it’s to grow you, maybe it’s to grow someone else. Nothing is new, nothing is wasted. Even the smallest of things have significance to God. A hug at the right moment can spur someone on for years. Today is six years since I lost my nephew. His last hug is one that carries me through until I see him again in heaven. God knew what He was doing in that moment of time when He coordinated that hug.
People do awful things to each other every day. Sometimes we are the victims of those actions. Sometimes, we’re the ones who do the hurting. As we seek God in our daily lives, He’ll reveal His purpose to us.
Question of the Day:
How can you seek God in the midst of your circumstances today?
Further Reading: Ecclesiastes 1:1-3:22 NIV, 2 Corinthians 6:1-13 NIV, Psalm 46 NIV, Proverbs 22:15 NIV
