Ecclesiastes 3:1-11
There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under the heavens:
2 a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
3 a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
4 a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
5 a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
6 a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
7 a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
8 a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.
9 What do workers gain from their toil?
10 I have seen the burden God has laid on the human race.
11 He has made everything beautiful in its time.
We praise the Lord for granting us another new year. The Lord has been with us through our thick and thin, in sickness and in health, in times of prosperity and poverty. The Lord has been faithful, and so as we come to the new year, let me share a brief devotion from Ecclesiastes 3:1-11, highlighting a few thoughts taken from this passage.
Brothers and sisters, many of us pursue and strive for a problem free and pain free life. We all long and hope for things to improve, things to get better, even when we are enjoying something and we hoped it will last longer, we knew instinctively that this too will come to an end. We try our best to figure out how we can escape from any pain, sickness or problems. We are all looking for clues or solution to end all our sufferings, but what does the Bible have to say regarding all these.
In this passage Solomon starts by saying, there is a time for everything and a season for every activity under the heavens. We cannot control it. God in His sovereignty has determined the world to work as such. We cannot control when we will be born or when we will die. There is a time to weep, a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance and be joyous, all these are part of God sovereign will that He allows to all mankind.
So as believers in God we need to be aware that God may allow some of the worshippers at BBPC to suffer, a loss of job, poor health, relationship problem or financial lost, but to others, promotion in their jobs, healing from their sickness, restoration of relationship, finding life partners or getting married. All these joys and pains in life are but God’s sovereign will for us to bring us closer to Him. May we learn to trust and obey Him through all these circumstances.
In Ecclesiastes 3:11, the word of God says:
“He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.”
We mere human beings cannot fathom or understand what God’s plan is for us but let us be assured of His love and purposes for us. Corrie Ten Boom, who had suffered tremendously under the Nazi for helping the Jews during the World War II had this illustration about her journey with the Lord.
Our life can be difficult and messy but let us be assured that God has a purpose for everything, let us learn to live by faith and trust him with all our hearts. To end this devotion let me share this poem with you all.
~ Ps Razo
Life is But a Weaving (The Tapestry Poem)
By Grant Tuller
My life is but a weaving
Between my God and me.
I cannot choose the colors
He weaveth steadily.
Oft’ times He weaveth sorrow;
And I in foolish pride
Forget He sees the upper
And I the underside.
Not ’til the loom is silent
And the shuttles cease to fly
Will God unroll the canvas
And reveal the reason why.
The dark threads are as needful
In the weaver’s skillful hand
As the threads of gold and silver
In the pattern He has planned.
He knows, He loves, He cares;
Nothing this truth can dim.
He gives the very best to those
Who leave the choice to Him.
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