 For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:
2 a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; 3 a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; 4 a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; 5 a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; 6 a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; 7 a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; 8 a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace. The God-Given Task 9 What gain has the worker from his toil? 10 I have seen the business that God has given to the children of man to be busy with. 11 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. 12 I perceived that there is nothing better for them than to be joyful and to do good as long as they live; 13 also that everyone should eat and drink and take pleasure in all his toil—this is God's gift to man. 14 I perceived that whatever God does endures forever; nothing can be added to it, nor anything taken from it. God has done it, so that people fear before him. 15 That which is, already has been; that which is to be, already has been; and God seeks what has been driven away. From Dust to Dust 16 Moreover, I saw under the sun that in the place of justice, even there was wickedness, and in the place of righteousness, even there was wickedness. 17 I said in my heart, God will judge the righteous and the wicked, for there is a time for every matter and for every work.18 I said in my heart with regard to the children of man that God is testing them that they may see that they themselves are but beasts. 19 For what happens to the children of man and what happens to the beasts is the same; as one dies, so dies the other. They all have the same breath, and man has no advantage over the beasts, for all is vanity.20 All go to one place. All are from the dust, and to dust all return. 21 Who knows whether the spirit of man goes upward and the spirit of the beast goes down into the earth? 22 So I saw that there is nothing better than that a man should rejoice in his work, for that is his lot. Who can bring him to see what will be after him? Meditation This season of uncertainty is the time to embrace eternity. There is a time for everything (1-8) and we have no control over the change of seasons. None of us are aware of what the next season of life holds for our country and culture but we can control our perspective and practice. Christians have eternity in our hearts (11) and we know the works of God endure eternally, (14) making things beautiful in His time and the season He appoints. (11) We are from dust and will return to dust (20) but the works of our God endure forever. How can we seize eternity during a shifting season of crisis? We must remember our identity and seek to live with the perspective and priorities of our Creator. An Under the sun perspective abandons justice and righteousness for wickedness. (16) Justice and righteousness is the way of the Lord, (Genesis 18:19) the foundation of God’s throne, (Psalm 89:14) and the overflow of knowing the Lord. (Jeremiah 9:24) To abandon justice and righteousness is to abandon our God and His ways. Conversely, to seize eternity during this shifting season is to know the Lord, celebrate His rule, and to walk in His ways. We prioritize righteousness and justice, joyfully embracing His design for all of life. There is nothing better than to joyfully do good. (12) To hear God’s word and believe is to have an above the sun perspective and embrace eternity. (John 5:24) Eternity now begins with knowing Christ (John 17:3) and walking in His ways. Richly Dwelling -Psalm 104:19 states that when God takes His face away, His covenant favor, we return to dust. John 17:3 states that when we know Jesus personally we have eternal life. What is the trajectory of your eternity? -If you know Jesus Christ then you can seize eternal life during this shifting season. Rejecting wickedness and embracing the person, rule, and way of God is to live with an above the sun perspective. How can you practice justice and righteousness today? -Ask the Lord to make you hungrier for eternity and less satisfied with things of this world. Seek to seize eternity during this shifting season of crisis that your work may align with the eternal work of God. Key Verse 11 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. Comments are closed.
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