Tag: seasons

  • Ecclesiastes: Everything Has a Season

    A gravel path runs straight ahead between trees in orange and rust autumn foliage, with fallen leaves thickly covering the ground on both sides.

    Happy birthday to us. Kathy and I celebrate our birthdays today 139 years of combined life experience.

    It’s getting into late autumn. The trees are increasingly bare, and the pathways, roads and trails are more covered in fallen leaves. It isn’t a surprise; it happens every year and will continue until this world passes away. Everything has a season.

    The writer of Ecclesiastes reminds us …

    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. Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 ESV

    If you are of a certain age, you just heard that in song. Turn, turn, turn.

    Whether you heard it in a song or read it, it rings true. Everything comes with a season. Sometimes everything goes as it should, and things look like they might get even better. Other times, everything that can go wrong does, and there is nothing but bad news on the horizon. Most of us spend the bulk of our lives between the two extremes.

    Whatever season we are in, God remains in control. He sits on His throne and never varies in his love, mercy or character.

    For I the Lord do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed. Malachi 3:6 ESV

    Of old you laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands. They will perish, but you will remain; they will all wear out like a garment. You will change them like a robe, and they will pass away, but you are the same, and your years have no end. Psalm 102:25-27 ESV

    Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Hebrews 13:8 ESV

    Whatever season you are in, you can hold fast to the Lord. If you are His, He holds you fast, and nothing can ever take you away from Him. He will never let you go.

    Hold fast and praise His name no matter your circumstances.

    Be blessed Kevin

    SUMMARY

    Everything in this life has a season, and the seasons keep changing. Whatever season you are in, the Lord does not change, so hold fast to Him and praise His name.

    TAKEAWAY

    Everything comes with a season. Some go better than we hoped, some go wrong in every way, and most of us live somewhere in between.

    Whatever season we are in, God remains in control. He never varies in His love, mercy or character.

    If you are His, He holds you fast and will never let you go. So hold fast to Him and praise His name, no matter your circumstances.

    YOU MIGHT ENJOY

    Celebrate your identity

    Everyone knows the truth – even if they deny it

    The gospel – the best news ever

    Meaningless to meaningful

    New Every Morning

  • Changing Seasons – God’s Signposts

    autum leaves on ground

    It happened yesterday. Did you notice? 

    At 2:19 PM EDT, the sun crossed the equator, and the autumnal equinox occurred. From that moment, the days began to get shorter, a trend that continues until the vernal equinox in the Spring, when the trend reverses.

    The word “equinox” has its roots in Latin. In Latin, “aequs” means equal, and “nox” means night. For a brief moment, at least at the equator, the day and night share equal time.

    The equinox divides the year into two distinct parts. Our days are marked by hours, minutes, and seconds, as well as by the passage of time from dawn to morning, afternoon, evening, and night. Our month can be divided into days and weeks, and our year into months and seasons, marked by equinoxes—very sensible arrangements.

    We don’t like the autumnal equinox because it signals the shortening of days and the coming of the winter months. We much prefer the Spring with its fresh new growth and warmer weather, leading us into the lazy, hazy days of summer.

    The equinox always brings to mind a couple of Scripture passages.

    And God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night. And let them be for signs and for seasons,and for days and years, and let them be lights in the expanse of the heavens to give light upon the earth.” And it was so. And God made the two great lights—the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night—and the stars. Genesis 1:14-16

    Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever.Give thanks to the God of gods, for his steadfast love endures forever.Give thanks to the Lord of lords, for his steadfast love endures forever; to him who alone does great wonders, for his steadfast love endures forever;to him who by understanding made the heavens, for his steadfast love endures forever;to him who spread out the earth above the waters, for his steadfast love endures forever;to him who made the great lights, for his steadfast love endures forever;the sun to rule over the day, for his steadfast love endures forever;the moon and stars to rule over the night, for his steadfast love endures forever… Give thanks to the God of heaven, for his steadfast love endures forever. Psalm 136:1-9, 26

    The predictability of the changes, year in and year out, unchanging since time began, should give us pause to reflect and praise our creator.

    The God who loves us reveals Himself in His Word, but also in the wondrous nature of the creation itself. It’s no wonder Paul could write.

    For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. Romans 1:18-20

    Next time you are pondering the shortening of the days, pause and give thanks that gives signposts that all can see.

    Hallelu Yah (Praise God)

    Be blessed, 

    Kevin

    You might also like

    Why no one can say they didn’t know

    Celebrate your identity

    Every season has a purpose

    Meditations on a forest walk