A Time For Everything

Outside Reading (1)

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

"To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

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."

These verses begin with the phrase “these is a time for everything and a season for every activity under the heavens.”  God used Chronos, time and cycles, to guide life on the planet. Our existence is reinforced by binaries or opposing forces that simultaneously complement one another. Birth and death each have important roles as bookends on the life cycle of any creature. Planting and harvesting both serve a purpose. The things we invest in eventually come to a resolution. Destruction and healing go hand in hand. For every wound, there is a scar. Mourning and celebration reflect the highs and lows of human emotion. There are times for activity and effort while there are times for rest and giving in. God designed the world so that everything has a contrast and a cycle to it.