A Nail!

Nails can be used to hold things in place or be that on which items can be hung. Nails hold the studs together that form the walls of our house, but in our garage some have been hammered in a short ways on which I can hang electric cords and other items. These nails make it possible for those items to be easily seen and grabbed when needed.

Ideas are also referred to as being "nailed down" or as being something on which you can "hang your hat." This is because they are based on a DEPENDABLE AND TRUSTWORTHY source.

Toward the end of Ecclesiastes, Solomon stated. . .
"(11) The WORDS OF THE WISE are LIKE GOADS, and LIKE NAILS FIRMLY FIXED are the collected sayings; they are GIVEN BY ONE SHEPHERD. (12) My son, BEWARE OF ANYTHING BEYOND THESE. Of making many books there is no end, and much study is a weariness of the flesh." ( Ecclesiastes 12:11-12 ESV)

We are surrounded by advice, ideologies, and information today. Libraries and bookstores are full of "self-help" books and material on other various subjects and more continue to be written and printed all the time. However, can we securely fix or hang our life on all of it? Does it all truly bring us hope? Does it all lead to life in its truest sense? Is it all DEPENDABLE and TRUSTWORTHY?

A goad was a pointed rod used to encourage an ox or other animal to move on. The direction of God's Word can provide that kind of stimulus in our life. Sometimes that is exactly what we need! The Wisdom of God's Word and Will has also been established! It is "firmly fixed." We can truly hang our lives on it!

In Solomon's reference to "one Shepherd", he did not seem to refer to himself -- whom he referred to as "the Preacher in verse 9 -- but rather to God as the source of the wisdom Solomon had been sharing in this book. God truly should be our Shepherd as He was in David's life (i.e. Psalm 23) in Whom we can delight and rejoice in being under His Divine care. It is a place of safety and security in the same manner in which Jesus acknowledged Himself as the Good Shepherd. ( John 10:11, 28-29)

There is wisdom that is not from God ( James 3:15-16) of which we need to beware. Let us continue to look to the Wisdom from above that is DEPENDABLE and TRUSTWORTHY in all regards so that we can safely hang our eternity upon it.

Have a great day WITH OUR ASSURANCE OF SALVATION NAILED DOWN BY THE LORD!
Carl

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