Ecclesiastes

For the first time in the history of our SK Bible study group, we had our Bible study retreat this weekend. It was the first for me as well. I’ve never organized anything like it before. Now how do I feel about it? I’ve been looking so much forward to it in recent weeks, so much that I cannot utterly believe that it’s over in a flash! One whole weekend and it’s gone! Now things are settling down again – the house is quiet, and the voices of laughter and chattering are nothing but echoes of a memory. It was fun while it lasted. Maybe we could do this more often. Maybe we should!

Was it a retreat? Did we have a good rest from the hustle and bustle of everyday life? I don’t know about the others, but I didn’t really manage to rest physically. Not with the late nights and early morning wake up calls. Not with the pressure of having to think about what to do for the next session! But I think spiritually and emotionally, I feel refreshed. I did have a great time with the rest of my friends. Thanks guys - Glen, Esther, Yuet Pei, Joash, Ow, Kat and Agnes. Thanks for making it such a great weekend. Hope you all had a good rest.

Besides eating a lot and playing Betrayal quite a lot, we managed to have four sessions of Bible studies. The first on Friday was an introduction to Ecclesiastes and wisdom literature in general. I attempted to introduce ‘the Teacher’ in as short a time as possible so that we could all move on into sharing. Nothing could have prepared me for what was about to follow. All of us shared. And it wasn’t like how it would normally be in our weekly Bible studies. Everyone was so transparent in the opening of themselves, so that it felt so intimate between the eight of us there. Everyone let their walls down so that the others could see deep into their broken and dry selves. It set the tone for a wonderful start to the whole weekend.

In the next three sessions, we all had a great conversation with the Teacher in Ecclesiastes. No doubt we may not agree with everything that he says, but he does have a lot to say to us. Yes, things are temporary and passing. Many things are futile and not worth chasing after. He looked around him, and saw the multi-layered realities of life. They frustrated him, and raised deep questions within him. The righteous getting what the wicked deserve while the wicked live long in their wickedness. Things don’t always seem to add up. Indeed, life is not so simple and neat after all. We can be righteous or wicked, wise or foolish, human or animal, but death is the great equalizer and it comes to all. But in all his questions and depression, God remained real to him. He came to see that we cannot fully fathom God, and our response is to stand in awe of His sovereignty. We cannot straighten what God has made crooked, so let us accept them as they are. And all these questions become less relevant when we live a life of contentment by enjoying the simple pleasures in life like eating, drinking and working. This is our lot, he says – they are a gift from God. Live life to the full! Before the days grow dark and old age overtakes us all. But remember our Creator for He will hold us accountable to what we do with our lives.

We closed the whole study by reflecting on these questions: What are some of the realities in life that we have to face? How has God been real to each of us? What are some of our ambitions and things that we do that are meaningless? What are some of the things that we need to accept as a gift from God and enjoy? Finally, we thought about what we wanted to do with our lives. We wrote it on a piece of paper and stuffed it into a little gift box… as a reminder that life is God’s gift to us…

I don’t know if God spoke to all of us during this retreat. Of course I have been praying that He would. I trust that He will continue to do His work in each of us. And I hope that I have been faithful in doing what He has set for me to do. I was quite concerned earlier when Kat and Esther mentioned that they were not feeling well. Agnes had been having diarrhea in the days leading up to the retreat. I’m glad it all turned out fine. Thanks… and glory be to God in the highest! I have a little secret though. The little piece of paper in my little gift box is still blank… and I hope that God will reveal it to me in due time…

Father, I abandon myself into your hands.
Do with me whatever you will.
Whatever you may do, I thank you.
I am ready for all, I accept all.
Let only your will be done in me,
And in all your creatures.
Into your hands I commend my spirit.
I offer it to you with all the love that is in my heart.
For I love you, Lord, and so want to give myself,
To surrender myself into your hands,
Without reserve and with boundless confidence,
For you are my father.
Amen.