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August 30, 2022 8:00 pm
Zach Elder and his friends pulled up to shore after a twenty-five-day rafting trip through the Grand Canyon. The man who came to retrieve their rafts told them about the COVID-19 virus. They thought he was joking. But as they left the canyon their phones pinged with their parents’ urgent messages. Zach and his friends were stunned. They wished they could return to the river and escape what they now knew.
In a fallen world, knowledge often brings pain. The wise Teacher of Ecclesiastes observed, “With much wisdom comes much sorrow; the more knowledge, the more grief” (v. 18). Who hasn’t envied a child’s blissful ignorance? She doesn’t yet know about racism, violence, and cancer. Weren’t we happier before we grew up and discerned our own weaknesses and vices? Before we learned our family’s secrets—why our uncle drinks heavily or what caused our parents’ divorce?
The pain from knowledge can’t be wished away. Once we know, it’s no use pretending we don’t. But there’s a higher knowledge that empowers us to endure, even thrive. Jesus is the Word of God, the light that shines in our darkness (John 1:1–5). He “has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption” (1 Corinthians 1:30). Your pain is your reason to run to Jesus. He knows you and cares for you.
Welcome to today's encouragement from Our Daily Bread but it was my total reading when knowledge hurts. Zach, Elder and his friends pulled up to shore after 25 day rafting trip to the Grand Canyon. The men who came to retrieve their refs told them about the COBIT 19 virus they thought he was joking, but as they left the canyon, their phones pink with their parents.
Urgent messages Zach and his friends were stunned, they wished they could return to the river and escape what they now knew in a fallen world knowledge often brings pain. The wise teacher of Ecclesiastes observed with much wisdom comes much sorrow. The more knowledge the more grief, who hasn't envied a child's blissful ignorance. She doesn't yet know about racism, violence in cancer weren't we happier before we grew up and discerned our own weaknesses and vices before we learned our family secrets while your uncle drinks heavily or what caused our parents divorce. The pain from knowledge can't be wished away once we know it's no use pretending we don't. But there's a higher knowledge that empowers us to endure even thrive.
Jesus is the word of God, the light that shines in our darkness. First Corinthians chapter 1 says he has become for us wisdom from God. That is our righteousness and holiness and redemption. Your pain is your reason to run to Jesus.
He knows you and cares for today's Our Daily Bread devotional Scripture reading is from Ecclesiastes chapter 1 verses 12 through 18 I the teacher was king over Israel and Jerusalem. I applied my mind to study and to explore by wisdom.
All that is done under the heavens what a heavy burden God has laid on mankind. I've seen all the things that are done under the sun. All of them are meaningless chasing after the wind what is crooked cannot be straightened.
What is lacking cannot be counted. I said to myself, look, I have increasing wisdom more than anyone who was ruled over Jerusalem before me. I have experienced much of wisdom and knowledge that I applied myself to the understanding of wisdom but also of madness and folly, but I learned that this too is a chasing after the wind for with much wisdom comes much sorrow. The more knowledge the more grief let's pray. Jesus we don't enjoy pain, but if it drives us to you it's worth it. Help us to turn to you in your name we pray. Amen.
Today's encouragement was provided by Our Daily Bread ministers
