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.
(Ecclesiastes
3:1-8 ESV)
By Joanne Liaw
Sook Ling
For everything, there is a season
A time for everything under
heaven
Nothing happens randomly or by
chance
God has determined each step in a
dance
The events of life unfold rapidly
Against the backdrop of eternity
There is more beyond life under
the sun
This race of life should not be
blindly run
God has allotted time in His
wisdom
Seasons have been set; nothing is
random
Amidst the chaos, He is in
control
He knows all things; He's sealed
them in His scroll
When difficult situations are
tense
When painful circumstances make
no sense
When we're let down by life under
the sun
Look to the Cross and follow
Christ, the Son
Through Christ, God has made all
things beautiful
Because of Christ, this life is
meaningful
He's redeemed us from vain
futility
From sin and death, He has set us
free
Though life's poetry does not
perfectly rhyme
God makes all things beautiful in
His time
When life's ugly trials and
problems arise
Help us, Lord, to see beauty
through Your eyes
Points for Reflection:
For
everything, there is a season and a time for every matter under heaven
(Ecclesiastes 3:1 ESV)
·
Amidst the
chaos and mess in our world and in our own lives, do you at times wonder if God
is in control? Are you discouraged when things just don’t seem to fall into
place and nothing seems to work?
·
In His wisdom,
He has put all events and phenomena in place. Nothing happens out of His
sovereign plan. He makes all things beautiful in His time.
·
We may not
understand the pain and suffering we witness in our world and in our lives.
Many raise their fists in anger against God for the injustices and evil in our
world. What strikes me is their refusal to thank God for the goodness, order,
and beauty that remain in our world today.
·
God created a
beautiful and perfect world and he placed humans to rule the world under Him.
However, humanity chose to rebel against God and reject His rule over their
lives. We want to rule our lives and our world our own way. Looking at the mess
around us, I will have to admit that we have done a terrible job at ruling the
world.
·
Are there areas
in your life that you are struggling to submit to God’s loving rulership?
·
And yet, God
uses evil for good. This can be seen most evidently in the Cross. Evil men
condemned Jesus Christ to an excruciating death on the Cross. His disciples and
those who followed Him were dismayed and distraught at His death. It looked as
if all hope was gone. But God raised Jesus from the dead and their hope was
revived and renewed. Because of Jesus’s death and resurrection, sinners who
trust in Christ are free from God’s judgment for sin. Our future hope is
brighter than the sun. We can look forward to spending an eternity of bliss in
heaven with God, our Creator, and our King.
·
How have you
seen God using the evil and unpleasant circumstances in your life for good? Has
He been using trials and suffering to build your character and depend more on Him?
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