Worship-Shaped Work [Family Worship lesson in Ecclesiastes 4:4–6]

What else makes godless life vain? Ecclesiastes 4:4–6 looks forward to the call to worship in public worship on the coming Lord’s Day. In these three verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that fallen labor makes godless life vain. (click here to DOWNLOAD mp3/pdf files of this lesson) The devotional lesson explores the futility of labor and achievement apart from a relationship with God, drawing from Ecclesiastes 4 and Psalm 73. It highlights how striving and skillful work often lead to envy and ultimately prove unsatisfying, while neglecting work results in a destructive laziness. The central message emphasizes that true contentment and peace—a “handful with quietness”—are found not in worldly pursuits but in knowing and worshipping God, allowing His grace to shape our work, and provide lasting fulfillment rather than grasping for fleeting, ultimately unattainable goals.