August 17 ▪ Day 229

Scripture Readings

Proverbs 21:19
Ecclesiastes 11–12
Mark 9
Psalms 45

Verse Focus (Proverbs 21:19)

Better to live in a desert
     than with a quarrelsome and nagging wife.

Meditation

Less than a week ago we looked at a proverb that said it was better to live in the corner of a roof than with a quarrelsome wife (Proverbs 21:9; August 12, Day 224). Today’s verse focus, Proverbs 21:19, is very similar. It says, “Better to live in a desert than with a quarrelsome and nagging wife.”

So is there anything new we can learn from today’s verse? Certainly, it’s always good to be reminded of Biblical principles. Scripture commends people of godly character who are patient and wise and who avoid strife and quarrels. Perhaps this verse’s reminder about what kind of people we would like to be is enough.

But let’s think a bit deeper about this metaphor. To live in a desert — that’s living without comfort. My first thought is that you would be in desperate need of water. Water gives life. Water renews. Water is one of the most basic needs for our physical bodies. We can last a surprising amount of time without food, but if we are without water our bodies will die in just a few days.

I think this metaphor is telling us that living with one who constantly quarrels is like being close to death. The strife is debilitating; better physical discomfort than the emotional torment of nagging and quarreling. But deserts are also desolate places. This proverb tells us that living with dissension ruins us. We would rather have no contact with people at all. That’s actually pretty scary when you think about it since we all need companionship. We were made to be social creatures. But here we’re told that being alone and disconnected is vastly better than being with a person who constantly finds fault.

Just by meditating for a minute or two on what it means to live in the desert, I already have a better understanding of the seriousness of the wife’s offenses in this proverb. We sometimes minimize this behavior — it is, after all, familiar to all who have lived in families. People will always be grumpy and cranky. But if that crankiness becomes our defining behavior, that’s a real problem — not just for ourselves, but for everyone who must live with us.

Father God, we pray for your grace and your forgiveness. Sometimes being cranky or quarrelsome seems out of our control. We find ourselves nagging and only realize what we’ve been doing after the fact. Help us to rely on your Holy Spirit. Redeem our hearts and transform our patterns of behavior. Keep us from being quarrelsome. Keep us from nagging. Through the power of your Son, Jesus Christ, Amen.

Today we read the final two chapters in Ecclesiastes. In chapter 11, the Preacher advises using different methods and strategies. Much like our English proverb, “Don’t put all your eggs in the same basket,” verse 2 tells us to “give a portion to seven, or even to eight.” As verse 6 summarizes, “for you do not know which will prosper, this or that, or whether both alike will be good.”

Verse 4 encourages us to do what we should do without worrying about the future. We can’t control the wind or the rain; we don’t know when conditions will be favorable or unfavorable. Regardless of what happens, we must still sow and reap. We cannot let fear of various possibilities prevent us from the business of making a living.

Solomon again recommends rejoicing in the good things, but he warns us to “remember that the days of darkness will be many (v. 8).” As Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s famous poem says, “Into each life some rain must fall.” Solomon concludes chapter 11 by telling us to follow our hearts — but we should also remember that God will judge us and all our actions.

In the final chapter of Ecclesiastes, Solomon tells us that we should worship God “in the days of your youth (v. 1).” As we grow older, our vitality decreases and our desire lessens and soon we will come to the time when “the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it (v. 7).” Although he stops short from saying it, Solomon’s poetic descriptions of the end of life seem to imply that our ability to remember God in the twilight is so diminished that we may find we have lost our opportunity to remember the Creator. Thus Solomon concludes this advice — to remember God when we are young — with his famous refrain, “Vanity of vanities… all is vanity (v. 8).”

As someone who loves reading, one of my favorite verses in the Bible is Ecclesiastes 12:12b, “Of the making of books there is no end, and much study is wearisome to the body.” I used to quote this one a lot in college! 🙂

Solomon concludes his book by saying, in verse 13, “The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.” Despite his repeated cry of “meaninglessness,” Solomon finishes his remarks by framing life in the context of our relationship with God. We may not understand the evil times we experience; we may not understand what God does or does not do. Regardless, there is simple joy in life that we should celebrate. And as we live and breathe and do, we should remember God and follow His ways.

Mark chapter 9 tells one of my favorite stories about the father of the child who had the mute and deaf spirit. He brings his child to Jesus to be healed, but when he arrives Jesus is not there (Jesus was up on the mountain, being transfigured). The other disciples try to heal the man’s son, but they are unsuccessful. There is a bit of a commotion, and a crowd has gathered. But then Jesus comes to save the day.

It’s particularly the conversation between the father and Jesus that always strikes me. The father asks Jesus to have compassion and mercy on his son, if he can. Jesus responds in verse 23, “ ‛If you can!’ All things are possible for one who believes.” And the father replies in verse 24 with his own famous line, “I believe; help my unbelief!”
I always identify with the father — a mixture of faith and doubt. And I applaud his response. He turns his doubt into a prayer for help.

But today I focus more on what Jesus says to the father. All things are possible for one who believes. It’s an interesting way of putting this principle. Usually Jesus tells us that God can do the impossible (e.g., Matthew 19:26 or Mark 10:27). Here, though, he tells us that our belief is what allows God to do the impossible for us.

Today’s story ties in with the story we read yesterday about how Jesus healed a blind man in a two-part process. The blind man didn’t have enough faith to be healed all at once, but he had enough faith for some healing and then he received encouragement for the rest. Likewise, the father had faith that Jesus could help him. He also knew that a part of himself doubted Jesus’ ability — but he confessed that doubt and prayed for mercy. And the boy was fully healed.

I sometimes think we let doubt become a larger problem than it really is. We all struggle with doubt from time to time. It’s likely even a necessary part of our faith journey. We need to be able to wrestle with doubt and then prevail. Just as people are a mixture of good and evil, so our faith is a mixture of belief and doubt. As we live and grow, our character and our faith gets refined. Less evil, more good. Less doubt, more faith. The real question is how do we navigate life and faith when our belief is not 100% pure? The blind man yesterday and the father today both give us examples to follow. The blind man may not have been convinced Jesus could help him. But he asked anyway. The father made a special trip to ask for help for his son, even though he didn’t fully believe that Jesus would be able to help them. But both of them turned to Jesus with the amount of faith they had and it was enough. Jesus — God — supplied what they were lacking.

So it comes down to stepping out in faith and trusting God. Action based on the faith you have, small as it may be. Don’t let the doubts stop you from praying, stop you from asking, or stop you from trying. God richly rewards our small steps of faith.

One of the nice things about reading through the Psalms again is that we get enjoy some of the same psalms that we enjoyed previously. I love the psalmist whose tongue is “the pen of a ready writer (v. 1).” Since I’ve been writing meditations, I identify with this psalmist. And I pray that I will also be a “ready writer,” and that my words will bring comfort and insight.

Psalm 45 is “a love song,” according to the inscription above verse 1. So what kind of love songs are in the Bible? Those that are multi-layered, of course. This is a psalm about the king of Israel and his bride, but it is also a Messianic psalm. It is a song about the love that God has for His people.

Verse 4 speaks of why the king will ride out for battle. He rides out victoriously “in the cause of truth, humility, and justice.” Verse 7 tells us, “You love righteousness and hate wickedness.” This is what God cares about. He will fight for truth, humility, and justice. He loves righteousness and hates wickedness. Our King is honorable, and pure. Someone that we can rejoice in and be proud of.

When the psalmist speaks of the queen who is “glorious (v. 13)” in her chamber and whose name will be “remembered for all generations (v. 17),” he is talking about us. As a woman, I find it easy to identify with the queen in this psalm. But this is the destiny of all of God’s people — to reflect Christ so well that we too are glorious, and to be honored and remembered for our contributions.

Father God, we thank you for the marriage between Christ and the Church. We thank you that you will make us spotless and radiant. Continue to transform us through your Word. Help us to meditate on the things you show us. Help us to live out our faith in practical ways. Help us to be your light in this broken world. By the grace of your Son, Jesus Christ, Amen.