In God's Time

God has ordained all things in this world to take place, at the proper time, for His intended purpose’, for our good, and His glory.

Through the providence of our benevolent God, we will go through different seasons in our lives.

We have the season of youth, when we can’t wait to grow up and have more freedom.

We have the season of old age, when we wish we had youth again.

We have the season when we are young and are forced to take naps.

Then we have the season in our 30’s where we wish we could take naps.

Then their is the season later on in life where you go back to taking naps.

You have the season when you get your first job, buy your first house, marry the love of your life, have kids.

Within those times, there are changes that happen in our lives. You change houses, you change jobs.

It is in the context of all things changing that Solomon pens these words.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

Probably one of the most well known passages of scripture that their is due to the Byrds.

But in the song, you hear the refrain turn, turn, turn, turn....

That isn’t in the passage in scripture, is it?

What that refrain speaks of is the hopelessness in life.

It’s all an endless cycle, what’s the point?

That is what many people get out of Ecclesiastes, don’t they?

Vanity upon vanities, all is vanity.

But do we realize, that not all things are cyclical, things in this life aren’t hopeless and without purpose.

Ecclesiastes 2:24-25

There is nothing better, that a person should find enjoyment in his toil.

The work we have, the things we strive in, we work towards, it comes from the hand of God.

Find enjoyment in this life, and in the season that God has you in.

But realize that it is just that, a season.

This life is full of different times.

v.2

It’s no accident that the place Solomon begins, is birth and death.

The book ends are ordained by God, and everything in between.

God had ordained the exact moment you would be born.

He ordained the exact moment you will die.

He has also ordained everything in between.

He is the one who has control over all the season’s of our lives.

v.2

There is a time to plant. But just as there is a time to plant that seed so new life can grow. There is a time when that growth is finished, and that plant has been spent.

v.3

There is a time to kill.

God has given the state the power of the sword, meaning the power to kill in order to preserve life.

WSC #68, What is required in the sixth commandment?

The sixth commandment requires all lawful endeavours to preserve our own life, and the life of others.

There is also a time to heal.

A time to bind up what was broken.

v.3

A time to break down

Sometimes, like in the case of the parsonage. The right and proper thing to do is to tear it down.

In our lives, there are seasons when we should be removing sin, or bad behavior from our lives.

A time to build up

Not every time is a time to build. But their are those seasons when it is right and proper to do such a thing.

God ordains season’s in this life.

Genesis 1:14–15 ESV

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.

God has given us natural seasons.

These seasons are governed by the sun and moon.

You must know and recognize the season you are in to live. If you don’t recognize the season you are in and plant in the winter, your being foolish believing you will reap a harvest.

The Season Christ Came

God also gave us the season by which the history of the world functions in.

The Old covenant was a season given to look forward to the coming of the messiah.

Galatians 4:4–5 ESV

But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.

At the perfect time, the time to reveal the messiah was at hand. He was born, to redeem us, who were under the law.

It was a time that we might receive adoption as sons.

Acts 17:30–31 ESV

The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.”

The time now, is the time of repentance. A time to turn to God.

There is a day coming when the the season of growing the kingdom of God will come to an end, and the day of harvest will begin.

Those who do not know Jesus will be judged righteously, and thrown into Hell.

To those who know Jesus, C.S. Lewis writes “All their life in this world and all their adventures had only been the cover and the title page: now at last they were beginning Chapter One of the Great Story which no one on earth has read: which goes on for ever: in which every chapter is better than the one before.”

The seasons that God has ordained for this world all point to Christ.

This passage in Ecclesiastes reveals to us that we have seasons in our lives as well.

Just as it is important to recognize the change and shift in the natural season’s, it is just as important to recognize the change in our season’s of life.

Just becasue one season comes to an end doesn’t mean it was all meaningless.

Some might say, what was the point of us coming here to Coram, if we would leave in 6.5 years?

God ordained our coming, and our going for His intended purpose.

I know that during my time here in Coram, I have grown tremendously in many different ways.

I pray that by God’s grace, the same thing can be said about your lives.

If you expect unchanging happiness. That your life will always be the same, you will go through life living in disappointment.

You will age.

Children grow.

Friends die

I say this because we never desire things to change, seasons to end.

We want to believe it will always be the same, and are adverse to change many times.

There is a tremendous blessing in the constant changing seasons.

They keep you from becoming idle, or complacent.

They keep things fresh in our lives.

They also remind us that God is the only unchanging one that exists.

This is important to remember as the church moves into the next season.

God had ordained the time I would come, and the time I would leave.

Where do we go from here then?

How does the church proceed forward?

As the body

1 Corinthians 12:7, 12-20

With me leaving, it will be difficult on the church.

With me leaving, there will be holes. In order for the church to survive, you will have to step up and help. You will have to use the gifts that God has given you to help the body.

The church should not function as a business, but as a body.

All parts of that body are important, you and each of your gifts are important.

The season that is coming for the church, is a season of putting your hand to the plow.

Talk to the board about how you can help. They are going to be getting buried at this point with work.

If the church is to stay afloat, you need to be more than a Sunday morning participant, you need to help.

God brings us all through different seasons for our good, and His glory.

Don’t fall into despair for the transition from one season to the next.

Look to God, recognize the time you are in. And take the appropriate steps for the time God has given you.

Know that you are loved by God, and by me.

Prayer

Our glorious God, who is the giver and sustainer of life.

All things function in your time, for your purpose. From the death of a star, to the birth of a worm.

By your glorious grace you change the seasons we live in and cause us to grow.

We thank you, that we can rest in you. Knowing that no matter what time we are in. You give us the strength to meet each day. And that you will transform us by your might, and by the seasons you bring us through.

Help us to trust, and rest in you.