Annie Pliego Photography

Yes, I am very excited to announce who the winner is of the book Joy at the End of the Tether: The Inscrutable Wisdom of Ecclesiastes by Douglas Wilson. But before you jump to end of the post to find out if it was you… I would like to share with you a few more quotes.

Read Eccl.7:16-22 and then come back… Now:

“What does it mean to overly righteous?… Clearly Solomon here is not addressing genuine pity, righteousness, or wisdom. He is speaking of what too often passes for it. So what does it mean? Not to point a fine point on it, it means… Nice Christian, Priggish Christian, Sanctimonious Christian. Tight-shoes Christian, Pursed lips Christian, Stickler Christian. Insufferable Christian. Prudish Christian. Doctrinally correct Christian. Know-it-all Christian. Ostentatious Christian. Quiet-time-everyday-or-I’ll-go-to-Hell Christian. Conceited Christian. Orthodox Christian. UnChristian Christian.”

“What men like in religion is not necessarily what God likes. What men admire is not necessarily what God admires.”

“The antidote to this religiosity is the fear of God and not a pagan moderation. If a man fears God sincerely, then he will not fall into religious foolishness (v.18). True wisdom is strength, while the desire to appear wise is suicide.”

Now read Ecc. 8:16-9:3…

“The wise know how to identify what cannot be known. Solomon is is not referring to the actions of God on the other side of the universe (which, of course, no one thinks we could know), but rather His governance of our lives here and now. He sets the limitation upon any man (v.17) and not just upon himself and his own endeavors. Look around as you please, you do not know hat is happening.

Wisdom does not seek to explain this sovereignty of God.”

“Always remember that Ecclesiastes is at war with the folly of self-sufficiency. The key to wisdom is coming to understand what we do not know.”

You will have to get this book to fully enjoy it. I am sure this is the perfect kind of book to read around the family table with our grown-up children along with a nice dinner –because this is what the wise do, they enjoy nice dinners with bacon and wine.- I promise you will find in this little book much to consider and talk about… and even laugh.

Well, now the announcement. The winner is Jessica! Yay! Congratulations, friend! And just because books are also a gift from God, and I am happy, and I love my friends… I will give you not only this book but also the other one I am loving… This Momentary Marriage by John Piper. I will contact you soon, Jessica!

Much love to you all and once again, thanks for taking the time to read.

Becky