“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot,” Eccl 3:1-2
There are two words Solomon uses: time and season. One emphasizes an opportunity or moment that is important. The other seems to emphasize the sequence or chain of events on the other.
You don't have to be a philosopher or a scientist to know that times and seasons are a regular part of life no matter where you live. Were it not for the dependability of God-ordained natural laws, both science and daily life would be chaotic, if not impossible. There is an overruling providence in our lives. From before our birth to the moment of our death, God is accomplishing His divine plan.
The consistency of the world’s rotation allows, within a day, to be the God divine pattern for our lives on earth. The seasons also are ordered by God. From that pattern we govern our days, weeks, months, years, work, and life. We see our body needs sleep within a day. Work patterns are organized around the clock that serves as 24-hour segments.
From Genesis we know God made two great lights—“the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night…And God saw that it was good.” The pattern of God’s world into which we are born is seen as good. It shows us not only His creative genius, but consistency upon which we can depend to function in our lives.
There is a time to be born and a time to die. We have no control over when or where we are going to be born. We have little control over matters regarding our death.
Under certain circumstances doctors will indicate time of birth by inducing labor in a pregnancy or by cesarean section. Medical science will have, increasingly at its disposal, machines and equipment that prolong life, sometimes beyond when one would be considered dead. Morally and ethically our society has been debating as to when life begins, at conception or at birth. It has been debated, “What point do you consider the person dead or continue with life supports?” I am glad for many advances in medicine, but we also need to use some caution, for the issues of life and death are in God's hands. The Bible teaches us “it is appointed unto man once to diel. God knows when that appointment is, just as He planned your birth - when and where you were to come into this world.
Another pattern Solomon uses relates to the harvest - “there is a time to plant and a time to uproot.” God allows times for us to plant and someday we will reap the results of what we have planted. If you plant and sow evil, rebellion, and sin, you will reap the consequences. If you plant goodness and love and kindness you will reap blessings.
Application: What season of life are you in? This is a pattern laid down by God.
Prayer: Lord, all time and seasons are in Your hands. You daily sustain all of creation. Thank You for the order You have created. Give us the wisdom to handle the daily decisions around that truth.
