A Time for This and a Time for That
Posted on Jan 22, 2017 by Shera Payne No comments
Ecclesiastes 3:1-11:
In Ecclesiastes 3, the first 8 verses can be read out in time, almost a chant:
a-time-to-be-born/a-time-to-die/a-time-to-plant/a-time-to-harvest/a-time-to-kill/a-time-to-heal
Solomon here is telling us that timing is everything and that the actual time for DOING THINGS is equally important
The punchline of a joke- you get it wrong and it’s not funny. That’s timing. On the other hand if you tell a joke at an inappropriate time that’s even worse
Boiling an egg. Mm mm breakfast. At the wrong time and its lunch, wrong timing and it’s too hard or too runny
Stopping at traffic lights- doing this when they’re on red is a good idea at the right time but your timing’s essential too- you don’t want to leave it too late and have to slam on the brakes at the last moment
You can all think of loads of other examples- giving advice, asking for help, applying for a job, organising a party………
How often do we hear that something happened “at the right time, in the right place” or that we were just “in the wrong place at the wrong time”?
How often do we take responsibility as well as the blame when the time or timing of something does or doesn’t do our way?
How often do we consider God’s role in this- the fact that everything we do is part of His plan and is mapped out in advance?
It is so important that we live our lives with this in mind. Critical that we are always aware of God’s timing for our lives.
And this is what Solomon is telling us here – life really is a matter of timing. Timing is everything and everywhere. We know this and are reminded of this constantly on our watches, mobiles, PCs and laptops which display the time even when not in use. Clocks. The ticking of clocks. Candles burning down. The sun moving across the sky. Children growing up. All of us getting older.
Importantly, in fact so important that we never think about it- time only goes in one direction. Forwards. Never backwards. All the more reason to get the timing right.
Over these 11 verses of the third book of Ecclesiastes Solomon gives us 2 very precise messages:
- We should expect change due to time and it won’t always be what we expect or desire
- We need to accept the limitations of time and not expect to fulfil all our personal dreams
Solomon introduces the idea that there is a time for everything.
He says a SEASON. Other translations say AN APPOINTED TIME.
This is a time appointed by God and using the expression “every activity under heaven” straight away emphasises that this is of God’s making, not our own. The word “activity” or “event” derives from a Hebrew word which gives a sense of “delight” in whatever the activity is. This implies that there is a positive outcome in fitting things into the appointed – GOD’S APPOINTED – time.
So, there is a sense of success in timing even if the event or occurrence itself is not in itself “delightful”
Having laid the foundation, Solomon launches in to seven verses which make 14 pairs of contrasting negative and positive statements
Some of these we might naturally want to avoid. A time to die? A time to grieve?
There is no reason to avoid these less palatable things. All the good and bad times are appointed by God. Our job is to accept God’s perfect timing and cast away resentment or doubt about the worth of having to go through things we don’t like that are part of God’s plan for us, regardless of when He requires these things of us.
To expect unchanging contentment, happiness and joy in a changing world must always end in disappointment. We occupy a fallen world and so cannot expect everything to go our way.
Think of Job- he suffered all manner of deprivation, pain, loss and anguish but accepted it as God’s will. Great role model, very hard to follow.
So, let’s have a quick look at some of Solomon’s examples of God’s timing
A time to be born and a time to die; a time to plant and a time to harvest
All living things have a start and an end, a birth and a death. These times are appointed by God, no matter how much it grieves us. Nearly a year ago many of us shared in the grief of the loss of an elderly gentleman and 2 babies in our church family within a very short space of time.
How can we accept that God allows this to happen? A very poorly baby boy released from pain after 5 days- why did not God heal him? Another taken away after just a few weeks with the whole world ahead of him. Loving families shattered and broken.
WE KNOW that George and Patrick are now in a better place but ACCEPTING this is the hardest thing ever. I can still see Patrick’s granny’s facebook entry “we are a broken family…” I can still hear the beeping of George’s monitors in the neonatal intensive care unit. I still expect to see Ken from time to time. That makes me smile.
God wants us to have these kinds of feelings at the times He chooses, want us to experience the pain with the pleasure. It’s what makes us human, in His image. He too feels these things.
The next part is about destruction & creation. “A time to kill and a time to heal. A time to tear down and a time to build up”.
“Kill” isn’t the same word as used for thou shalt not “kill” in the 10 commandments; it doesn’t mean “murder” but is more defence-orientated rather than malicious. There is a time to tear down and tearing down doesn’t necessarily imply destruction especially when followed by a time to build up – a time of renewal. You could also apply this to tearing down barriers between friends, nations, cultures and renewing relationships in a more positive way.
Solomon moves on to emotions- a time to weep and laugh; a time to mourn and a time to dance. Sorrow/joy; happy/sad, you can’t have one without the other. How do you know you’re happy if you have no concept of sadness to compare it with? How do you describe warmth if you’ve never experienced cold?
God intends us to grieve. Jesus wept when Lazarus died and again as He prepared to die, praying to His father in the garden of Gethsemane. Grieving gives us perspective and is a humbling process which I believe prepares us with a greater understanding of the suffering of others. Perhaps also it is a trail of our faith.
The 5th verse seems strange. Why should there be a time to throw stones and a time to gather stones? This is more Old Testament speak I’m afraid – “to throw stones” apparently refers to having intimate relationships between husband & wife while to “gather stones” is about restraint & abstinence, especially in times of mourning. “A time to Embrace and a time to shun embracing” is a toned down version of the same thing!
How interesting that in the middle of all these day to day events, Solomon suddenly puts in a note about intimacy, acknowledging that there’s more to life than having experiences done to you.
Moving on to verse 6 “a time to search and a time to quit searching”. Most of our lives are spent searching for something, something meaningful. Sadly sometimes we find what we need but keep searching as if we haven’t got enough of whatever it was we wanted in the first place. “A time to quit searching” is something we need reminding of often, especially in a spiritual sense. We have found God. Why look for more? He gives us all we need when we need it, so we can quit searching for more. This goes for possessions, money, power, even chocolate
“A time to tear apart & sew together; a time to be silent and a time to speak” refers to the old practice of tearing one’s clothes at times of mourning and remaining silent, mending your clothes and continuing normal conversation when the period of mourning ended.
This is also a reminder that there are appropriate times to talk and to be still. As Christians we need use our words wisely and with thought, not indulge in gossip or hearsay and refrain from insults. We all know or have encountered people who always seem to have a lot to say on any topic at any time and when they do come up with something worthwhile, it passes us by. In contrast, when a person picks their words wisely and speaks less often, we are more inclined to listen.
Timing is everything
The final verse of this listing of opposites reminds us there’s a time for love which Jesus would say should be throughout your lifetime. There’s also a time to hate. Godly people will love God’s creation and must also hate ungodly things- greed, corruption, selfishness, injustice. There’s nothing wrong with hating these things and although we can find many actions to hate, we must always show love and compassion for those who are doing the very things we hate. They will not change and we will not be showing the compassion of Christ if we fight hate with hate.
So, now that we know we have to expect things to change over time, Solomon talks about the limitations of time.
Solomon asks in verse 9 “what do people really get out of their hard work? “job satisfaction” is something many of us seek. What about “life satisfaction”- on the basis that God has given us a job for life playing a part in His grand plan?
How then do we find satisfaction? I’d guess that this largely depends on attitude and you can become dissatisfied with your lot if you lose the sense of purpose that God intends for you.
We are not on this earth for ever and can easily be frustrated at how little time we have to fulfil all our dreams. Some people try to cram in as much as possible in a lifetime and still not find enough time for everything. And you have to ask the question- who am I living this life for? Am I just pleasing myself or living for a greater purpose- GOD’S PURPOSE??
This is tricky. We don’t know God’s purpose as Solomon says in verse 11 “…people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end”. As we have seen, many things happen which we don’t like or understand. We just have to know and I mean really KNOW that God has a plan for each of us individually (even though we don’t understand what it is), and for the world of which we are a very very small part. We may be very very small parts but we are loved by God and we are very very important to Him.
Actor Jim Carey once said words to the effect that he would advise everybody to do everything they can to reach the top and achieve their dreams, be rich & famous regardless of the consequences for others – just so that they can see…………… it is not the answer.
We are all challenged from time to time by the concept of not feeling useful. Over 100 years ago William Morris wrote an essay entitled: “Useful Work Versus Useless toil” Although this work is a socialist comment about exploitation of the working classes in Victorian England, he does make a universal point:
He says: “Here, you see, are two kinds of work – one good, the other bad; one not far removed from a blessing, a lightening of life; the other a mere curse, a burden to life”.
He goes on:
“What is the difference between them, then? This: one has hope in it, the other has not. It is manly to do the one kind of work, and manly also to refuse to do the other”
Exchange the word “manly” by “godly” and it becomes relevant to Solomon’s assertions.
It is godly to do the work that has hope in it, and godly to refuse the work that has no hope.
Of course we have to accept that the only work with hope in it is that which God requires of us, is unselfish and which builds the Kingdom. This is equivalent to William Morris’s “blessing, a lightening of life” as opposed to ungodly work- “a curse, a burden to life”
These 11 verses seem simple, especially the first 8 …. A time for this, a time for that ….
However, you could easily discuss, debate and deliberate on each line for the best part of a day and still only scratch the surface.
For me, the main teaching from Solomon is that everything in the world happens for a reason and within a time set by God
We need accept that everything we do, every opportunity and every disappointment or grief is necessary in moulding us to be suited to be delivering a small but infinitely important part of God’s BIG plan.
We need not only accept this, but also realise the LIMITATIONS of time- we will never ever get to do all we want to do FOR OURSELVES but as everything is planned by God, we can achieve all He asks of us in one lifetime if we live with faith, obedience and humility.
Sermon: Andy Littlewood 22 January 2017