and impatience of life to cause you to judge God foolishly.
Times and Seasons Are Purpose Managers
"To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven." (Ecclesiastes 3:1)
Every purpose is governed by times and seasons. It will make no difference how many times we ask God for a particular thing, or how loudly we cry out for it in prayer. The law of time and seasons will always govern its arrival. All of us have an assigned amount of time to exist on earth. Times and seasons are also purpose managers.
Before any of the things I'm about to mention can occur, we must exist first, obvious as that sounds. This is why Ecclesiastes 3:2 opens with, "A time to be born, and a time to die." We are assigned specific times and seasons on the earth, from the date of birth to the time of death, to accomplish a particular purpose. However, fulfilling that purpose requires certain experiences. No matter what your goal may be, you will encounter and have to deal with the following seasons:
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; 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 get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
a time to rend, 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 of war, and a time of peace. (Ecclesiastes 3:2-8)
Ecclesiastes 3:2-8 can also be called the law of the temporary because, in essence, it teaches that nothing exists forever. This passage is especially relevant to those who have recently lost a loved one. In times of death, we quickly realize that all of us, and all things, will one day be spoken of only in the past tense. That simply means the time of expiration has arrived.
Time Comes With Judgment
"A wise man's heart discerneth both time and judgment." (Ecclesiastes 8:5)
Simply put, a person who understands the law of time and seasons knows that alongside time being assigned to everything, judgment also accompanies it. We are accountable for the time given to our purpose. This is why we are commanded to redeem the time:
"Redeeming the time, because the days are evil." (Ephesians 5:16)
Redeem the Time
I want to say to someone: stop wasting time, and focus on doing what God has placed you on the earth to do. Please consider that grudges, bitterness, unforgiveness, and offenses consume the limited time and seasons we have. When it's time to exit, we cannot reclaim those times or seasons.
I strongly suggest we allow the written law of Ecclesiastes 3:2-8 to remind us that everyone and everything has an expiration date. If you simply observe what's going on in the world, the expiration dates of many are arriving quicker than expected.
Make no mistake, the days are quickly approaching when you and I, just like those who have gone before us, will make our exit, only to stand before the supreme Judge of times and seasons to give an account of how we managed our allotted time to fulfill His will for our lives.
Written by: Kevin L A Ewing
ewinglakevin@icloud.com
kevinlaewing.blogspot.com
www.kevinlaewing.com
