The Book of Ecclesiastes
Chapter 4
¹ Again I saw all the oppressions that are practiced under the sun, Look, the tears of the oppressed-with no one to comfort them! On the side of their oppressors there was power- with no one to comfort them. ² And I thought the dead, who have already died, more fortunate than the living, who are still alive; ³ but better than both is the one who has not yet been, and has not seen the evil deeds that are done under the sun.
(The Book of Ecclesiastes Chapter 4 verses 1 to 3)
Oh God my Father, many times I have heard the expression that one had better not be born at all than to have to suffer such negative experiences, however even though we experience much bitter experiences throughout the course of one's life, for those who believe in You the situation is not that bad for the light always overcomes the darkness and the rainbow always appears after a rainy day to encourage us with its beauty and the promise of God's covenant of love and forgiveness ever since the beginning Amen. Therefore let us be positive and lift our praise and gratitude to God for each second of our life Amen.
⁴ Then I saw that all toil and all skill in work come from one person's envy of another this also is vanity and a chasing after wind.
(The Book of Ecclesiastes Chapter 4 verse 4)
Oh, God my Father as humans we are driven by the created need of having more and more so that we can depend more on ourselves and our own devices than on You. However even though You provide us with enough to cover our basic needs our natural selfish self-continues to urge us to make that step further to have more, to be more powerful, to invest in a better future, as if we are going to remain alive forever!
While thanking You for Your divine providence, I pray that I am of support to others and not a means of spite and envy Amen.
⁵ Fools fold their hands and consume their own flesh. ⁶ Better is a handful with quiet than two handfuls with toil, and a chasing after the wind.
(The Book of Ecclesiastes Chapter 4 verses 5 and 6)
Oh God, my blessed Father, I thank You more than ever for the work You have given me, where my hands' eyes and brain and entire body are always at work. I pray that my hands are never folded in protest or due to lack of work or laziness Amen.
⁷Again, I saw vanity under the sun; ⁸ the case of solitary individuals, without sons or brothers; yet there is no end to all their toil, and their eyes are never satisfied with riches. "For whom am I toiling," they ask, "and depriving myself of pleasure?" This also is vanity and an unhappy business.
(The Book of Ecclesiastes Chapter 4 verses 7 and 8)
Oh God my Father, brothers and sisters if we were to question the reasons of how we spend our time, and how much more profitable it would be if we had a balance between our hours of work and hours of prayer and leisure time. I pray that I always have time for You my God and Father Amen.
⁹ Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. ¹⁰ For if they fall, one will lift up the other; but woe to one who is alone and falls and does not have another to help.
(The Book of Ecclesiastes Chapter 4 verses 9 and 10)
Oh God, my beloved Father, there was a time when I was married and had a wife. If we both fell one could have supported the other, however, this was not the case, for many times alone I fell and alone I had to wake up. Therefore now that I am physically alone, I pray for Your support so that I will have Your spiritual support Amen.
¹¹ Again, if two lie together, they keep warm; but how can one keep warm alone? ¹² And though one might prevail against another, two will withstand one. A threefold cord is not quickly broken.
(The Book of Ecclesiastes Chapter 4 verses 11 to 12)
Oh God my blessed Father, even though I appear to be alone I am not for You are with me, every day of my life. My Father and my saviour, even though I do not physically see You we are four and not one Amen.
¹³ Better is a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king, who will no longer take advice.
(The Book of Ecclesiastes Chapter 4 verse 13)
Oh God my Saviour and loving Father I pray for humility and freshness of spirit, in order to always be open to the newness of Your Holy Spirit and never to be old, proud and stubborn and resistant to Your holy will Amen.
¹⁴ One can indeed come out of prison to reign, even though born poor in the kingdom.
(The Book of Ecclesiastes Chapter 4 verse 14)
Oh God my beloved Father once You redeem us as You did from our spiritual death, we become spiritually alive, and really start living, regardless if we are rich or poor, for those who are labelled as being poor in the world are the richest in the kingdom of God Amen.
¹⁵ I saw all the living who, moving about under the sun, follow that youth who replaced the king; ¹⁶ there was no end to all those people whom he led. Yet those who come later will not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and a chase after wind.
(The Book of Ecclesiastes Chapter 4 verses 15 to 16)
Oh God my Father, many of us still follow our pride and ambitions that gradually replaces Your presence in their lives, however, You are a kind loving and merciful God, who decided to become human in order to be able to have a better understanding of human nature Amen. I pray that faith in You will continue to grow and that any existing barriers will gradually come to their end Amen.
I would like to end this fourth chapter of the book of Ecclesiastes with the following prayer:-
Oh God my blessed Father, my brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus from all nations. Good Evening. Today I offer a prayer for all of us, that we learn where to place our values, and that our decisions are based not only on human inclination and desires and vanity but as based on the promptings of the Holy Spirit Amen.
⁴ Then I saw that all toil and all skill in work come from one person's envy of another this also is vanity and a chasing after wind.
(The Book of Ecclesiastes Chapter 4 verse 4)
Oh, God my Father as humans we are driven by the created need of having more and more so that we can depend more on ourselves and our own devices than on You. However even though You provide us with enough to cover our basic needs our natural selfish self-continues to urge us to make that step further to have more, to be more powerful, to invest in a better future, as if we are going to remain alive forever!
While thanking You for Your divine providence, I pray that I am of support to others and not a means of spite and envy Amen.
⁵ Fools fold their hands and consume their own flesh. ⁶ Better is a handful with quiet than two handfuls with toil, and a chasing after the wind.
(The Book of Ecclesiastes Chapter 4 verses 5 and 6)
Oh God, my blessed Father, I thank You more than ever for the work You have given me, where my hands' eyes and brain and entire body are always at work. I pray that my hands are never folded in protest or due to lack of work or laziness Amen.
⁷Again, I saw vanity under the sun; ⁸ the case of solitary individuals, without sons or brothers; yet there is no end to all their toil, and their eyes are never satisfied with riches. "For whom am I toiling," they ask, "and depriving myself of pleasure?" This also is vanity and an unhappy business.
(The Book of Ecclesiastes Chapter 4 verses 7 and 8)
Oh God my Father, brothers and sisters if we were to question the reasons of how we spend our time, and how much more profitable it would be if we had a balance between our hours of work and hours of prayer and leisure time. I pray that I always have time for You my God and Father Amen.
⁹ Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. ¹⁰ For if they fall, one will lift up the other; but woe to one who is alone and falls and does not have another to help.
(The Book of Ecclesiastes Chapter 4 verses 9 and 10)
Oh God, my beloved Father, there was a time when I was married and had a wife. If we both fell one could have supported the other, however, this was not the case, for many times alone I fell and alone I had to wake up. Therefore now that I am physically alone, I pray for Your support so that I will have Your spiritual support Amen.
¹¹ Again, if two lie together, they keep warm; but how can one keep warm alone? ¹² And though one might prevail against another, two will withstand one. A threefold cord is not quickly broken.
(The Book of Ecclesiastes Chapter 4 verses 11 to 12)
Oh God my blessed Father, even though I appear to be alone I am not for You are with me, every day of my life. My Father and my saviour, even though I do not physically see You we are four and not one Amen.
¹³ Better is a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king, who will no longer take advice.
(The Book of Ecclesiastes Chapter 4 verse 13)
Oh God my Saviour and loving Father I pray for humility and freshness of spirit, in order to always be open to the newness of Your Holy Spirit and never to be old, proud and stubborn and resistant to Your holy will Amen.
¹⁴ One can indeed come out of prison to reign, even though born poor in the kingdom.
(The Book of Ecclesiastes Chapter 4 verse 14)
Oh God my beloved Father once You redeem us as You did from our spiritual death, we become spiritually alive, and really start living, regardless if we are rich or poor, for those who are labelled as being poor in the world are the richest in the kingdom of God Amen.
¹⁵ I saw all the living who, moving about under the sun, follow that youth who replaced the king; ¹⁶ there was no end to all those people whom he led. Yet those who come later will not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and a chase after wind.
(The Book of Ecclesiastes Chapter 4 verses 15 to 16)
Oh God my Father, many of us still follow our pride and ambitions that gradually replaces Your presence in their lives, however, You are a kind loving and merciful God, who decided to become human in order to be able to have a better understanding of human nature Amen. I pray that faith in You will continue to grow and that any existing barriers will gradually come to their end Amen.
I would like to end this fourth chapter of the book of Ecclesiastes with the following prayer:-
Oh God my blessed Father, my brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus from all nations. Good Evening. Today I offer a prayer for all of us, that we learn where to place our values, and that our decisions are based not only on human inclination and desires and vanity but as based on the promptings of the Holy Spirit Amen.
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