Right before I left for Philly, a family from church invited me over for fellowship and in the course of conversation, provided me with a copy of Mark Driscoll’s series on Ecclesiastes. I’ve been reading a book on postmodernism and Ecclesiastes, and have always enjoyed studying that book of the Bible.
However, this series has challenged me in many ways. I’m generally familiar with the book, but Mark’s teaching has been really used to illuminate some areas in my life where God is at work. I’m grateful that God has provided this teaching for me at this time, as it’s just another example of his faithfulness. In particular, I’ve been considering the following:
1. What am I pursuing to make me happy? Driscoll preaches straight-up old school John Piper in this series, but with my sense of humor. (I think that is what makes people either like or hate Mark J….who can’t love a line like, “I’m glad God made cows out of steak.”) The messages have emphasized that our goals will never make us happy. I’ve learned this in some sense as I’ve lived my life this far, where the things that once seemed really exciting or the next big thing, ended up being fairly dull once they were attained or became common. We get bored with new toys, it happens as children and it will happen to us as adults. I’m frequently pursuing the next big thing and often have so much of my joy tied up my expectations. This series has reminded me to seek my satisfaction in God and for him to give me the ability to enjoy life.
2. Where am I? One of the best messages so far was the one on seasons of life. Although Mark did crack on The Byrd’s song “Turn, Turn, Turn,” of which I’m a fan – I’ll forgive him. This sermon reminded me that there is a time and a season for everything and that we can seek to enjoy what God has given us now. Particularly of interest was when he talked about those who fight change and want to keep things the same, just because they like it that way. Mark noted that often people like that are fighting what God is doing. As most of you know, I don’t like change a whole lot. I’ve put a lot of effort into changing that over the years and have seen some fruit and situations like this relocation to Philadelphia will certainly encourage growth. However, it was an encouragement for me to relax and stop trying to control the minutia of my life. One thing that was particularly interesting was where he talked about “giving up” for a time when God is not working in a given area. He used the examples of someone trying to find a spouse or a promotion, if I recall. The tendency noted was becoming more and more agitated as things weren’t happening – who does that sound like? Mark made the observation that if God isn’t working somewhere in your life, it is okay to step back, take a breath and work on other things. I wish that I’d figured that one out a few years ago, but it is a good reminder that I need to remember that God is sovereign and that if doors aren’t opening in a given area, that’s okay.
3. Friendship. If Ecclesiastes is a book about philosophy, where does it talk about friends? Mark gave a great message from chapter 4 on fellowship. He made the point that there are obstacles to fellowship, particularly greed, envy, laziness and apathy. People that live in these various forms of selfishness are prone to have very messed up relationships, if they have many at all. In moving to a new city, I found this to be quite insightful, as I tend to have difficulty with making friends – often for a few of those reasons. I don’t really see myself as greedy and working too much. But, envy, laziness and apathy are things that I can relate to quite well. I find it a heck of lot easier to come home and do my own thing, rather than to deal with the “headaches” of other people. I know that is sad, but it’s often a true indicator of how my heart can be. The sermon encouraged people to repent of those sins and to pursue community through participation in their local church. I have begun the long process of building those friendships here in Philadelphia, and I will have to purpose to look out for the interests of others over my own shallow happiness, which would prefer to find a book and a beer at the end of long day work. I find it quite difficult to break into existing social networks, but then again, as I noted earlier, there is a time for everything.
So, these messages have provided a unique equipping for this season of life that I’m in. I almost have this dumb look on my face frequently, “Huh, how did I get back to Philadelphia?” At times in my life, there have been certain growing seasons where a lot of fruit was produced and the lessons taught from scripture were very beneficial. I think this may be one of those times on the horizon. It seems like God has put me in an uncomfortable spot, where I have to exhibit practical put-one-foot-in-front-of-the-other faith in Him, and where I can live out a lot of the truths that I’ve been exposed to.
