Watch out blogosphere, I'm back.  I haven't written for a number of weeks and didn't know if anybody missed me (sniffle).  I was encouraged by a number of people mentioning that they enjoyed reading the blog before Sunday to "whet their appetite" for the sermon.  So, you few, you know who you are, thanks and here ya go...

A major Bible theme often overlooked and therefore under-rated is the paradigm of "two ways."  Maybe it is too simple and too obvious so people don't see a need to mention it but it is remarkable how many times we read of people in the Bible narrative facing a choice.  Not a choice between real beef hot dogs and turkey hot dogs...that's a no-brainer.  I'm talking about a wise choice or a foolish choice.  The wise choice is the choice for life and the foolish choice results in despair, dysfunction and even destruction.  Our parents faced a "tree choice", their children faced a "sacrifice choice", every generation faces choices about believing God or following their own ways.  Starting with Moses, the prophets laid out the options...life or death!  Jesus spoke of two ways, two trees and two foundations.  The apostles grieved over the foolish choices of people that abandoned God's ways and even named some of them as a warning.  Revelation is filled with illustrations of the two ways.  So, what does this have to do with Ecclesiastes?  Good question, I'm glad you asked.  The Preacher is getting closer and closer to the grand finale and having cleared away the foolishness of empty pursuits he gives us some characteristics and consequences of foolish living.  Of course we will all know someone who fits the description but what about us?  Jesus did say we should get the log out of our own eye before we attempt to get the speck out of someone else's eye.  Do we have any tendencies toward foolishness?  What would it look like and what will happen?  Ecclesiastes 10 has some answers, I hope you can listen and learn and do what is declared in the Word of the Lord.