What Time Is It?

I've recently been preaching through the book of Ecclesiastes and came to Ecclesiastes 3, where the music group the Bryd got the lyrics of their song  “Turn! Turn! Turn!.” If you know the lyrics then you know some of the words of the Scripture. 

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which 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.

We can learn several lessons about time from this passage. First, we should prepare for different seasons of life. Sometimes we get to rejoice in the birth of a new baby, and other times we have to go to the funeral of a loved one. Jobs come and go. Friends come and go. Families come and go. The weather and the season change constantly. If we can only be happy and content if we get all the circumstances just right, then we are going to end up discontent tomorrow because a new season of life will come upon us.

Second, we need to understand what time it is. We need to spend time considering the times. Each day we should reflect on what that day holds. At each season of life we should consider how things have changed. Parenting a 4 year old is different than parenting a 14 year old and still different than parenting a 24 year old. And it will be different still when you are 84 and your kids need to help parent you. If you do not recognize how things have changed you are not going to love others well. For instance, if you think a 14 year old is just going to believe you and obey you just because you said so in the same way a 4 year might, then you are in for a shock! Likewise, if you are getting older, you should consider that in your desire to not burden your kids and to remain independent, you may be causing them more trouble because they can see you need help, but you keep resisting them.

Therefore, at each stage of life and each change of circumstances you should reconsider how things have changed and how your attitudes and actions might change accordingly. Furthermore, wise people will plan for the future recognizing that changes will be coming. How might you plan for retirement? How might you help your kids or grandkids prepare for their futures? If you do not know what to expect or how to prepare, then get help from those who have been through those changes already.

A final lesson from this chapter is that God has put eternity in our hearts, so that we can see that there is more than just this earthly life, so our consideration of time needs to be made with eternity in mind. Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount talked about things on this earth will be destroyed, but we can build up treasures in heaven. It is always the right time to consider our relationship with the eternal God. Am I spending my time today in such a way that God is glorified and I am becoming the type of person who is ready to spend time with Him in heaven? The more we learn to love like Jesus in our time on earth, the more we will be prepared to spend eternity with Him.