This chapter covers a lot. So, today I am looking at verses 1-15. We start with verse 1 that says, 'To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:'. So, yes, this season you are walking through is serving a purpose in your life. There are 28 seasons described is the first 8 verses:
A time to be born - A time to die
A time to plant - A time to pluck up
A time to kill - A time to heal
A time to break down - A time to build up
A time to weep - A time to laugh
A time to mourn - A time to dance
A time to cast away stones - A time to gather stones
A time to embrace - A time to refrain from embracing
A time to get - A time to lose
A time to keep - A time to cast away
A time to rend - A time to sew
A time to keep silent - A time to speak
A time to love - A time to hate
A time of war - A time of peace
The first 2 seasons brought to our attention are life and death. A time to be born and a time to die. We have no control over when we are born and we will all face death at some point. This mortal man cannot inherit the kingdom of God. Psalm 139:13-16 tells us that our substance was not hid from him, even from the moment of conception his eyes were on us, and HE formed us. We read in Psalm 31:15 that our time is in God's hands. Ephesians 5:15-16 warns us to walk circumspectly (cautiously, desiring to avoid mistakes and bad choices/consequences) and to be wise with the time we are given.
We have seasons naturally, Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter. Most of us have our favorite season, and then most of us have seasons that we cannot wait to see pass. Personally, there are things in every season that I love and probably something in every season that I could just do without. But without each season, even nature would be drastically different. The harder seasons are followed by beautiful life. We know that tree roots grow deeper during the winter. Flowers are prettier in the springs followed by a snowy winter. The list of seasons given in chapter 5 are about half good and half not so desirable from the fleshly man's view point. Some seasons are very hard and other seasons are very welcomed. One thing is very certain, no matter what season you are in right now, your season will change. Change is inevitable. Our seasons in life bring spiritual growth, if we allow it.
We have seasons naturally, Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter. Most of us have our favorite season, and then most of us have seasons that we cannot wait to see pass. Personally, there are things in every season that I love and probably something in every season that I could just do without. But without each season, even nature would be drastically different. The harder seasons are followed by beautiful life. We know that tree roots grow deeper during the winter. Flowers are prettier in the springs followed by a snowy winter. The list of seasons given in chapter 5 are about half good and half not so desirable from the fleshly man's view point. Some seasons are very hard and other seasons are very welcomed. One thing is very certain, no matter what season you are in right now, your season will change. Change is inevitable. Our seasons in life bring spiritual growth, if we allow it.
One thing that never changes, during any season of our lives, is the fact that God is always with us. The Holy Spirit is a promise to the children of God. The Holy Spirit stays with us, helps us, and comforts us during every season of life. God has a plan in every season of your life.
We have heard the first part verse 11 tons of times. It is a beautiful! 'He hath made every thing beautiful in his time:'. The verse doesn't end there. It goes on to say, ' also he that set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.' Some other translations interpret it to say 'he hath set eternity in their hearts.' I love how the Life Application Bible breaks this verse down. It says:
'This means that we can never be completely satisfied with earthly pleasures and pursuits. Because we are created in God's image, (1) we have a spiritual thirst, (2) we have eternal value, and (3) nothing but the eternal God can truly satisfy us. God has built in us a restless yearning for the kind of perfect world that can only be found in his perfect rule. He has given us a glimpse of the perfection of his creation. But it is only a glimpse; we cannot see into the future or comprehend everything. So we must trust God now and do his work on earth.'
It was in Solomon. It is in me. I believe it is in us all. A longing that we search high and low for, but NOTHING below the sun can satisfy. A restless yearning that has been placed deep in our hearts by God alone. It is a homesick feeling that only God can satisfy. Our goal, is to make sure we are looking to God alone to fill that thirst.
We get to verses 12-14 and it is like suddenly Solomon has a revelation. He says, 'I know that there is no good in them, but for a man to rejoice, and to do good in his life. And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labour, IT IS THE GIFT OF GOD I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before him.'
I do not have to have the wealth and knowledge of Solomon to enjoy this 'gift of God'. I believe the point here is that God wants us to enjoy life. If we keep our focus ABOVE THE SUN (God first. God focused.), we will find that real pleasure is found in enjoying whatever we have as gifts from God.
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