Thursday, November 6, 2025

New Testament Reading Plan: Revelation 20

It’s all vanity. 

At least according to Solomon, the wealthiest and wisest man alive at the time he wrote the Book of Ecclesiastes. 

Ecclesiastes 6:9 (ESV)
Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the appetite: this also is vanity and a striving after wind (emphasis added).

All is vain - what does that even mean? 

It means it’s useless. There’s no purpose or reason for what you have, or for chasing things that don’t completely satisfy you. It means that the things of this world will never lead you to the contentment you are looking for. 

Last weekend, during At the Movies, we were introduced to Thelma, a 94-year-old woman. She must have gone to great lengths to store up money, hiding it around her house. But when she received a fraudulent call that her grandson was in trouble, she jumped into action, wanting to be helpful, and ended up the victim of a scam. 

I don’t know about you, but I would have been tempted to “borrow” a scooter and charge ahead to get my $10,000 back, too. (You go, Grandma Thelma!) 

Although I don’t have that kind of cash hidden around my house, I have other things I value, like my mug collection. I wouldn’t want it lost or stolen. And isn’t that what we often think life’s all about … things? 

We want more. We want what’s next or better. It’s easy to get caught up dreaming about what’s next - more stuff, more success, new or different relationships. And when we don’t get it, it’s not fair. We feel like we’ve been robbed and cheated. 

Friends, I’m here to tell you that kind of chasing never satisfies. 

Fortunately for our character, Thelma, her efforts were not all in vain. She risked her health, well-being, and emotional stability to chase after what she didn’t have, but along the way, she discovered that friendship and family are things she could never lose.

Let’s receive this lesson, too. Instead of exhausting ourselves, chasing the wind for all we don’t have, let’s slow down and appreciate the people and blessings God has already placed in our lives.

Ecclesiastes 6:9 (NLT)
Enjoy what you have rather than desiring what you don’t have. Just dreaming about nice things is meaningless - like chasing the wind.

Questions: 
What is something that is hard for you to be grateful for? Why? 

What is something you have been striving for? 

What is one thing you can do this week to slow down and find contentment? 

Next Steps: 
Donate something that is no longer of service to you. 

Seek out someone you haven’t connected with in a while and spend quality time with them.

Write down three things you are grateful for in the Daily Gratitude area in the CedarCreek App. 

Prayer:
God, I pray for contentment. I want to live with gratitude. I am dissatisfied about (blank), and because of that, I have been chasing after the wind. The things I have been pursuing that are not satisfying me are not from you, and I pray that they will fall away. Lead me to contentment in you and this beautiful life you have given me. Show me an area where I need to ask for help and help me to invite people in so that I am not living life alone. Amen. 

Series Theme Verse:
Romans 1:20
For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities - his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.

This post was written by Becca Roberts, a West attendee, and a regular contributor to the Daily LivingItOut.