Psalm 119:18 English Standard Version (ESV) Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law.

When we file our taxes we take credit by listing our dependents. They may or may not be our children, but we provide for them in a legal manner that is allowed by tax laws.

We that are children of the Living God are His dependents and He declares us in accordance with a much higher code, His Word.

It is true even if we do not always feel that way. Some of us have left home and made lives for ourselves and we rarely think about ourselves being dependents of our Lord much less anyone else.

So often we will turn to the Lord because of life events, health, wealth and security being the easiest to recognize as issues of prayer. If it is not for ourselves it will be for someone we love.

There is so much to pray about it is easy to forget to do the first work of our ministry, to pray for the lost, to preach the gospel, and comfort the downtrodden. 

It is all those “big ticket items” that get our attention first. They may be the only thing we pray about but the Lord has not forsaken any that are or will be His.

When was the last time you asked the Lord what He wanted?

Can I get an ouch if not an Amen?

Sometimes the gourd needs to prick our souls.

If that point of reference is lost on us it might be because we haven’t revisited Paul’s conversion lately. 

Acts 9:5 King James Version (KJV) And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.

The last line of this verse is often left out of other translations. Forgive me for going old school on you but the KJV was what I was raised on and so often hear because it is embedded in my heart.

I do not quote the KJV most days for my readers comfort but sometimes we all need to have our consciences pricked. 

Or do we insist that we are free to do whatever we want?

Ecclesiastes 1:14

I have seen everything that is done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and a striving after wind.

There are minor differences between this verse and verse 3.

Ecclesiastes 1:3

What does man gain by all the toil at which he toils under the sun?

Vese 14 is related to John 3:8 ”The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” Verse 3 is more closely aligned with Galatians 6:7 “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.”

Then there is Galatians 6:8 “For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.”

God sowed His Spirit into mankind by faith in Jesus Christ with purpose. The connection between Ecclesiastes 1:3 and 1:14 is seeking. One is everything we desire in life to make us feel fulfilled and the other is seeking to fulfill God’s purpose.

This takes us right back to obedience of faith and the testing of our faith in which we want to see some results for our effort. If we do not see the expected results we begin to have doubts about our ability to hear God and understand His commands. That is human nature.

If we look at the parable of the sower that person sows seed everywhere. Nothing is said about the sower standing and waiting to see if the seed takes root, is watered, is nurtured or even harvested. Faith only asks us to do what we are called to do.

Will he call any one of us to change our task? He might call us to do other things but that is God’s prerogative.

2 Corinthians 9:12

For the ministry of this service is not only supplying the needs of the saints but is also overflowing in many thanksgivings to God.

Notice that the needs of the saints are not identified here, just that they exist. Verse 13 identifies that God will be glorified. Insisting on seeing results for our efforts is a form of seeking glory for ourselves and takes us right back to Ecclesiastes 1:14 in chasing after the Spirit.

We can ride the wind but we cannot catch it. Mount up like eagles.