I hadn’t
understood that truth at a time, in fact the connection between the two bits of
scripture were initially lost on me, but they are a great comfort. It is stark
reality.
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 cast
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 cast 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.
What gain has the worker from his toil? I have seen the business that God has given
to the children of man to be busy with.
He has made everything beautiful in its
time. Also, he has
put eternity into man's heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done
from the beginning to the end Eccl 3:1-11(ESV).
There is a
time for everything, and everything is beautiful in its right time. Now when
anything happens outside of its time, like rain during the dry season, it is
not beautiful. Tears at the death of a loved one are beautiful. Screams of joy
at the birth of a long awaited baby are equally beautiful. What matters is the
timeliness. It is also the good Lord that determines seasons and times, ours is
to prepare for those times and seasons and make good use of them. For each
season has a purpose. And he said unto them, It is not for you to
know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. But
ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye
shall be witnesses unto me ... unto the uttermost part of the earth Act 1:7, 8(ISV).
How must we
respond to changing seasons and times? We must press on with the work of the kingdom
no matter how the season appears in our understanding. Just as you do not understand the way of the spirit in the womb of a
pregnant mother, so also you do not know what God is doing in everything he
makes Eccl 11:5 (ISV). No matter
whether we interpret it as favourable or unfavourable, we must joyfully work. Preach the word; be ready in season and out
of season 2Tim 4:2(ESV). But actually no season is unfavourable
when it comes in its God-sent time; each season is beautiful, and a season for
focused, though differing, labour. Sow
your seed in the morning, and don't stop working until evening, since you don't know which of
your endeavors will do well Eccl 11:6(ISV)