Verse of the Day - Ecclesiastes 1:6-7

The wind blows to the south and turns to the north; round and round it goes, ever returning on its course. All streams flow into the sea, yet the sea is never full. To the place the streams come from, there they return again. ~ Ecclesiastes 1:6-7 (NIV)

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These are the words of someone who is sick of the seemingly meaninglessness of life. Over and over again, the same thing. Nothing new under the sun. What has been, will be again; what you see, has been seen before. Blah, blah blah...

I'm sure you've experienced that mentality in your life at one time or another. Maybe that's how you feel now. The monotony of life may be overwhelming you, and you just want change. Or maybe you just want out.

But I'm here to give you a new perspective on the cycles of life. Yes, it may seem interminably monotonous to do the same things over and over again. I understand that. But to a great degree, we fallen humans need a certain amount of structure and routine in our lives to keep us grounded, kind of like our need for gravity. Without it, we'd be flinging and boinging all over outer space! Yet, within that structure can be a great deal of creativity and surprises, that keeps the monotony from engulfing us in a sea of grey.

God created the seasons and the cycle of precipitation. Yes, these are seemingly endless, monotonous cycles. But within that seeming monotony, God has flair. He surprises us! When Spring comes, we know flowers will bloom. But have you ever been surprised to see a flower or vegetable sprout up where you didn't plant it? What a pleasant surprise! Not all things are predictable in the predictability of the repeated cycles of life. Or what about the rain? Yes, it comes predictably in Winter. But is it really ever the same? Sometimes, it's a fine mist that causes you to stand outside with your face to the sky, just to feel it on your face. Other times, you better have an umbrella, or you're gonna seriously get soaked! :-)

Things may seem like they're always the same, but God has a way of giving us little splashes of difference, if we're willing to look for them. Today, as you head to work, open your eyes and see if you can see something new that wasn't there before. A new tree in bloom, a new billboard, a new sunrise. Don't let the evil one cause you to miss God's blessings in the middle of life's monotony. And who knows? Maybe God will use you today to be the difference in someone else's monotony; maybe you'll be the new flower that blooms for someone who needs color so badly in their sea of grey.

Love,
Joelene