June 8th
Today’s Reading: Ecclesiastes 7–9, Ephesians 4
Title: Death Comes to All
✨ June 8, 2025
Scripture Focus:
📖 Scripture Observation:
In Ecclesiastes 7–9, Solomon reflects on the hard truth that death is certain for every person—wise or foolish, righteous or wicked. His words come from a place of searching, likely in a season when his heart had grown distant from God. These reflections expose how meaningless life becomes when we try to understand it apart from the fear of God and the hope of eternity. While Solomon had wisdom, he lacked the fullness of truth revealed through Jesus and the Holy Spirit. Still, the warning is clear: ignoring death leads to shallow, self-centered living. But when we face the reality that our days are numbered, we are invited into deeper wisdom and purpose. As Psalm 90:12 says, “Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.”
💭 Devotional:
Let’s be honest—we don’t like thinking about death. It scares us. We’d rather distract ourselves with pleasure, busyness, and comfort. But Scripture reminds us that it’s wise to think often about the end of life—not in fear, but in faith. When we remember that death is coming, we live differently. We stop storing up treasures here on earth and begin setting our sights on heaven (Matthew 6:19–21). We stop chasing approval, pleasure, and success, and start seeking the things that truly matter: loving God, serving others, and obeying His Word.
Paul said, “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21). And Jesus has taken away death’s sting (1 Corinthians 15:55). We no longer have to fear it. So today, we live with heaven in our hearts. We think about the eternal impact of our choices, our relationships, our words, and our priorities. Because this world is not our home—we are just passing through (Hebrews 13:14).
🙋🏽♀️ Lesson for Me:
When I forget about eternity, I waste time on things that don’t matter. But when I remember that I am just a breath away from forever, I live more intentionally. I want to love better, give more, forgive quicker, and hold this world loosely. My time here is short, but my reward in Christ is eternal.
✍🏼 Application Questions:
🙏🏼 Prayer:
Lord, help me to number my days. Don’t let me live foolishly, chasing empty things or fearing death. Thank You that in Jesus, death has lost its sting. Teach me to walk in wisdom, to live with purpose, and to store up treasure in heaven. Let my life today reflect the eternal hope You’ve given me. Amen.
Scripture Focus:
“A wise person thinks a lot about death, while a fool thinks only about having a good time.”
Ecclesiastes 7:4 NLT
“None of us can hold back our spirit from departing. None of us has the power to prevent the day of our death. There is no escaping that obligation, that dark battle. And in the face of death, wickedness will certainly not rescue the wicked.”
Ecclesiastes 8:8 NLT
“The living at least know they will die, but the dead know nothing. They have no further reward, nor are they remembered.”
Ecclesiastes 9:5 NLT
📖 Scripture Observation:
In Ecclesiastes 7–9, Solomon reflects on the hard truth that death is certain for every person—wise or foolish, righteous or wicked. His words come from a place of searching, likely in a season when his heart had grown distant from God. These reflections expose how meaningless life becomes when we try to understand it apart from the fear of God and the hope of eternity. While Solomon had wisdom, he lacked the fullness of truth revealed through Jesus and the Holy Spirit. Still, the warning is clear: ignoring death leads to shallow, self-centered living. But when we face the reality that our days are numbered, we are invited into deeper wisdom and purpose. As Psalm 90:12 says, “Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.”
💭 Devotional:
Let’s be honest—we don’t like thinking about death. It scares us. We’d rather distract ourselves with pleasure, busyness, and comfort. But Scripture reminds us that it’s wise to think often about the end of life—not in fear, but in faith. When we remember that death is coming, we live differently. We stop storing up treasures here on earth and begin setting our sights on heaven (Matthew 6:19–21). We stop chasing approval, pleasure, and success, and start seeking the things that truly matter: loving God, serving others, and obeying His Word.
Paul said, “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21). And Jesus has taken away death’s sting (1 Corinthians 15:55). We no longer have to fear it. So today, we live with heaven in our hearts. We think about the eternal impact of our choices, our relationships, our words, and our priorities. Because this world is not our home—we are just passing through (Hebrews 13:14).
🙋🏽♀️ Lesson for Me:
When I forget about eternity, I waste time on things that don’t matter. But when I remember that I am just a breath away from forever, I live more intentionally. I want to love better, give more, forgive quicker, and hold this world loosely. My time here is short, but my reward in Christ is eternal.
✍🏼 Application Questions:
- If I knew I only had 30 days left, what would I do differently?
- Where am I storing up treasure—on earth or in heaven?
- What would it look like for me to live with eternity in mind today?
🙏🏼 Prayer:
Lord, help me to number my days. Don’t let me live foolishly, chasing empty things or fearing death. Thank You that in Jesus, death has lost its sting. Teach me to walk in wisdom, to live with purpose, and to store up treasure in heaven. Let my life today reflect the eternal hope You’ve given me. Amen.
✨ Bonus Reflection: Ephesians 4 – A Life Worthy of Your Calling
Ephesians 4 is a powerful call to live differently—because of who we are in Christ. Paul urges us to walk in a manner worthy of the calling we have received, with humility, gentleness, patience, and love (v. 1–2). We are not to live like the world around us, lost in confusion and spiritual darkness, but to put off our old selves and be made new in the attitude of our minds (v. 22–24).
This chapter contrasts beautifully with Solomon’s message in Ecclesiastes. While Ecclesiastes shows us the futility of a life lived apart from God, Ephesians 4 shows us the beauty of a life transformed by Him. Death is not the end for those who belong to Jesus. And because we are eternal people, we are called to live lives that reflect heaven now—lives of truth, righteousness, and holiness.
Paul says:
Ephesians 4 is a powerful call to live differently—because of who we are in Christ. Paul urges us to walk in a manner worthy of the calling we have received, with humility, gentleness, patience, and love (v. 1–2). We are not to live like the world around us, lost in confusion and spiritual darkness, but to put off our old selves and be made new in the attitude of our minds (v. 22–24).
This chapter contrasts beautifully with Solomon’s message in Ecclesiastes. While Ecclesiastes shows us the futility of a life lived apart from God, Ephesians 4 shows us the beauty of a life transformed by Him. Death is not the end for those who belong to Jesus. And because we are eternal people, we are called to live lives that reflect heaven now—lives of truth, righteousness, and holiness.
Paul says:
“Don’t live like those who are hopelessly confused.”
“Let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes.”
“Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.”
(Ephesians 4:17–24 NLT, paraphrased)