When Paganism Informs Our Prayers
Jephthah is a complicated figure, and he represents the depravity of his time. It’s clear that despite Jephthah’s allegiance to God, his prayers are rooted in paganism.

Jephthah is a complicated figure, and he represents the depravity of his time. It’s clear that despite Jephthah’s allegiance to God, his prayers are rooted in paganism.
Our greatest desire in life should be to have a relationship with him so strong that eternity feels like a natural transition.
Jesus cast his bread in pursuit of relationships. The preacher of Ecclesiastes cast his bread in pursuit of pleasure.
The major component missing in the preacher’s life was not the quantity of things but the quality of rich relationships.
The reason the preacher of Ecclesiastes lived an unfulfilled life was that he “cast his bread” in pursuit of a hollow return.