Daily Devotions
Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. Ecclesiastes 12:13
A third popular board game, Clue, engages the players in a who-done-it mystery. A murder has been committed, and the purpose of the game is to identify the murderer, the weapon, and the location of the murder. Clues are provided to lead toward a solution, but usually one clue sheds the most light on the mystery.
How does one make sense out of the game of life? With all the confusing values, philosophies, and life-styles, how does one choose the right path? What clues can lead to a solution? The Teacher in Ecclesiastes has systematically eliminated one option after another – knowledge, wealth, and pleasure.
But the significant clue comes near the end of the book: “Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.” The clue comes from God, not from human beings. God wants us to fear Him and keep His commandments: “Love the Lord your God … and your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:37, 39). Not selfish living, but selfless living.
The clue points toward the solution. We can’t fear God or keep His commandments on our own. That’s why God sent His Son to live the life and pay the price. A murder in a sense. They nailed Him to a tree. But in the end He did it Himself. He willingly died for us on Calvary. Now you know the solution for your life. He works faith in your heart. He instills in you a fear of God and obedience to His commandments. Purpose for living. Sure hope in dying. The saving clue – Christ crucified.
PRAYER: Lord Jesus, you are the only one who can save us from our sins. Thank You for Your sacrifice on the cross. Amen.
(Devotions from “My Daily Devotion” by Dr. Stephen J. Carter, copyright 1988 CPH. All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be printed, reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior written permission of Concordia Publishing House. Permission is granted for one-time emailing of this link to a friend. For ordering information, please contact CPH at 800-325-3040 or visit www.cph.org.)