There’s Time

“To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven.” Ecclesiastes 3:1

This verse has been taught so often that it barely seems to hold our attention when we hear it.

I have found when I re-word it a bit, it is still true. “If it is God’s purpose under heaven, there will be time for it.”That’s just my paraphrase, but it has helped me so much in my life.

This time of year, with holiday celebrations approaching and many items on my to-do list, I don’t ever want to say, “I don’t have enough time.” If it is God’s purpose, if it is a kingdom purpose, if it has a heavenly purpose, there will be time for it. God will see to it! He doesn’t ask us to do the impossible, unless He intends to perform a miracle.

And He has so many “purposes under heaven” that we don’t know about. The reach of His work goes way beyond what we ask or think. Yes, we have Martha’s “work” to do; yes, we have Mary’s “sitting still” to do.

But there is also a time to be in the game, and a time to be benched;

A time to be given a voice, and a time to be silenced;

A time to be filled, and a time to be emptied;

A time to lead, and a time to follow;

A time to be a teacher, and a time to be a student;

A time to be by the still waters, and a time to be on the back side of the desert;

A time to hunger, and a time to be satisfied.

You could add many things to this short list. If it is God’s purpose for me, whether to change and mature me, or if it is His purpose to use me in someone else’s life, He will see to it that there is time for it.

Among the last words of a friend who recently died were these: “I thought I’d have more time.” He was elderly, frail, and had been failing for some time, yet he just didn’t think he was done with life. We can be assured that if it was God’s purpose under heaven, it was accomplished.

Father, we rest in the certain knowledge that You created time for us to live in, and You will accomplish all things that concern us, according to Your perfect knowledge and understanding of us, and according to Your plan for this generation and Your kingdom. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.