LHM Daily Devotion - June 7, 2017 "Nothing New"

The book of Ecclesiastes tells us there is "nothing new under the sun."

Daily Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries

By Pastor Ken Klaus, Speaker Emeritus of The Lutheran Hour

"Nothing New"

June 7, 2017

What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun. Is there a thing of which it is said, "See, this is new"? It has been already in the ages before us.

~ Ecclesiastes 1:9-10 (ESV)

The book of Ecclesiastes tells us there is "nothing new under the sun."

When it comes to matters philosophical and theological, the author to that inspired book is right on the money. On the other hand, in matters of technology, well, there is a lot of new stuff on store shelves -- stuff that even the wisest mind from the ancient world could never have imagined.

Goodness, forget the ancient mind; I'm amazed by the new stuff displayed at just one event!

That one place was the recent one-day new-stuff expo that was held in Amsterdam at the historic Westerkerk. If you were given the rest of the day, you would be hard pressed to come up with the theme of that event.

Ready? Here it is: the new stuff that was featured dealt with death. Yes, that's right: death.

And if you, like most, are thinking when it comes to death and dying there really isn't anything new under the sun, well, dear Daily Devotioner, you'd be wrong. Among the many new and interesting things featured were

• a three-dimensional urn, which was shaped to look like the head of the person whose cremains were contained therein;

• a hollow walking stick that with a button's touch, opens and scatters the remains wherever you wish and then, using a GPS, records the exact location.

• the mail-order coffin, which is delivered to a family and can be assembled when the need arises;

• a casket whose lid could be used by mourners to play the game of mini-shuffleboard.

In my list I would not like to omit the children's toy that has building bricks that can be turned into a hearse and a crematorium. The crematorium also has a pretend "fire" at the back.

Having read the above bullet points, the writer of Ecclesiastes would still say that those things don't change anything and he still sticks by his original statement: "There is nothing new under the sun."

Then he would share the Lord's facts. This world is still made up of sinners who, left to their own devices, are never going to make it into heaven. He would tell us that our Lord of grace still wants all people to be saved, and the Holy Spirit still beckons and points to the Savior, whose sacrificial life wiped out our debt and opens the doors to eternity.

Then, if we gave him time, the writer would say that no there is nothing new. People still turn their backs on the Lord, and believers still do their best to witness to locked and bolted hearts.

THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, I give thanks the old Gospel story has become a part of my life and the Savior my only hope for salvation. Grant that others may also be brought to the cross and empty tomb where they can see Your saving grace. In Jesus' Name I ask it. Amen

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