Oil falls to $11 (briefly); Is there encouragement in scripture?

A lack of storage space recently created unprecedent volatility in the price of oil. The WTI price is $13 as of this writing. Low oil prices are hard on Alaska! Conoco has cut spending. There is uncertainty concerning BP’s sale to Hilcorp. These are difficult days. Does Scripture provide comfort in times like these? What counsel does God’s Word provide for us in uncertain times?

One of my favorite books in the Bible is Ecclesiastes. Solomon was one of the richest people who ever lived. Solomon desired to find the meaning of life. He was the wisest person who ever lived. He looked for meaning and purpose and answers. His quest was not a failure. He discovered the meaning of life. Ecclesiastes teaches two great truths about life.

First, life is a gift and is to be enjoyed. Often Solomon talked about the goodness of life. Solomon said, “Go, eat your bread with joy; and drink your wine with a merry heart, for God has already approved what you do” (9:7). He continued, “Enjoy life with the wife whom you love” (9:9). Solomon wrote, “Rejoice, O young man, in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth” (11:9).

Life is a precious gift from God. Even now spring is here. The snow is melting. The leaves are coming. Soon another beautiful Alaska summer will arrive. Life is good and wonderful. We are to rejoice and be thankful. Solomon said, “I perceived that there is nothing better for them than to be joyful and to do good as long as they live; also that everyone should eat and drink and take pleasure in all his toil- this is God’s gift to man” (3:12-13). Life is a gift.

Second, life is frustrating and limited. We live in a fallen world. Even though life is a gift from God it is frustrating. Solomon also discovered the frustrations of life. Death is inevitable (2:12-17). Nothing is forever (2:18). All success is temporary (5:15).

Solomon pointed out that in this life there is no guarantee of success. He said, “Again I saw that under the sun the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to the intelligent, nor favor to those with knowledge, but time and chance happen to them all” (9:11). A person can have a great business plan and work hard. A strange virus comes, demand plummets and the best laid plans are wrecked.

Life is a gift from God and is to be enjoyed. Life is also frustrating. As Christians we don’t focus on this life but on a coming, much better existence. We look forward to a perfect life in God’s presence. The death, burial and resurrection of our Lord Jesus make this future life possible. Economic difficulties remind us that ultimately this life will not satisfy.

Solomon was a great businessman. He built an empire. Even though Solomon lived almost 3,000 years ago, does he have business advice for Alaska today? Definitely! Solomon said, “Cast your bread upon the waters, for you will find it after many days” (11:1). The picture is the launching of a ship. It is a merchant launching a ship to buy and sell. Sending a ship to buy and sell does not guarantee a profit. However, without launching the ship there will be no profit! We must take risk. We must move forward.

Tim Bradner wrote a recent article about the oil business in Alaska. He said, “Again, a bit of a silver lining: it’s known that a lot more oil is on the slope and that exploration by at least one oil company, Oil Search, found even more in drilling this winter season, which is just ending. The oil will be there when the recovery comes.” Alaskans are used to taking risks. Even living in the Great State is somewhat of a risk. We need to continue taking risks. This is not the time to live in fear. We must work and trust God to bless. This too shall pass!

Also, we must diversify. Solomon said, “Give a portion to seven, or even to eight, for you know not what disaster may happen on earth” (11:2). Only God knows the future. Dividing a portion to seven and to eight is diversification.

My daughter is eight years old. It is her job to collect the eggs from the chickens every day. In her earlier years she sometimes dropped the eggs. We “don’t put all of our eggs into one basket”! We must continue to diversify our economy.

God’s Word is amazing. It is the ultimate source of comfort and strength. Life is a gift from God. We must rejoice in it. Life is also frustrating. It is limited. We live in a fallen world. We look for a perfect world in which righteousness dwells. This much better state is possible because of the perfect righteousness of Christ offered to us. Let’s be strong and move forward together for God’s glory!

Ethan Hansen is a pastor at Faith Bible Fellowship in Big Lake.