"A time for everything under heaven" 

 

For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:  

 

a time to be born, and a time to die;
a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;
a time to kill, and a time to heal;
a time to break down, and a time to build up;
a time to weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
a time to throw away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
a time to seek, and a time to lose;
a time to keep, and a time to throw away;
a time to tear, and a time to sew;
a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
a time to love, and a time to hate;
a time for war, and a time for peace.

 

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8  

 

A number of us recently finished a study of this perplexing, troubling, and ultimately wonderful book.  When the author writes these words his basic premise is simply that God has ordained a time for all things.  (He probably means more than that, too.)  A careful reading of the book will lead one quickly to the conclusion that for us to discern what is the right time, God's time, for particular events or developments is downright difficult.  He might even say, impossible.

 

And yet we are summoned to be the hands and voice of Christ in the world, in God's kingdom already present here on the earth, and so we serve and love and speak as the Spirit enables us, individually and together, even if we can't discern well, or at all, what God may be up to.  We know that we are cherished, we know that we have been redeemed, we know that we are sent, and perhaps, hopefully, prayerfully, ... that is enough.  

 

Joy in Christ, 

Pastor John