ECCLESIASTES 3:1-8 – “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.”
THEME OF THE DAY: FOR EVERYTHING THERE IS A SEASON. This is a significant day in the lives of my wife and me. It is the first day I no longer hold the title and function as pastor in Quidnessett Baptist Church. The season, twenty-four and a half years in length, of serving in this wonderful church, community and state, comes to a close.
My, how time whizzed by with a sense of brevity that causes me to ponder life in a couple of ways especially as a Christian. These ways all of us should ponder.
First, believe that life is really short. Really believe it. We must go beyond just acknowledging it because it is a scripture truth to living it . . .
“Man who is born of a woman is few of days and full of trouble. He comes out like a flower and withers; he flees like a shadow and continues not” (Job 14:1-2).
“A voice says, “Cry!” And I said, “What shall I cry?” All flesh is grass, and all its beauty is like the flower of the field. The grass withers, the flower fades when the breath of the LORD blows on it; surely the people are grass” (Isaiah 40:6-7).
“Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”— yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.” (James 4:13-14).
Such awareness leads to the second way to ponder life and that is according to today’s scripture. Life consists of seasons. Nature is not the only thing with seasons. As human beings we go through seasons of change. Personally, I am in one now. All of you are also in a changing season now or will be soon. What should we do? Don’t start looking for a different season to serve Christ, seek Christ, and love people with His gospel. We don’t have the promise of another one.
I once had a Christian tell me, “Pastor Jim, I cannot serve in the church during this busy season of life, but as soon as I am through this one, I will be able.” My response? “Sister, there will never be a better season to serve the Lord and His church. The devil will ensure that. The only season God gives us is right now.”
The 17th century Puritan William Perkins, who was recognized as the founder of English Puritanism, once said, “Fools are always futuring.” Don’t be guilty of spiritual procrastination. The only season for fruit-bearing is now!
PRAYER: Father, help me to live each season of life with zeal for Your glory, Your Son, and His Gospel.
REFLECTION: The season of life we are to be most fruitful is now. To look ahead to a “better” season is foolish.