a time for everything

Good morning brothers and sisters,

Today's reading compliments yesterday's. While there can be a sense of futility in the fact that life repeats itself, there is also a rhythm. There is a time for everything, so take this time to reflect and also to enjoy. Whatever we have is a gift from God. We need to be wise with our gifts, but also to find joy in our work and in our rest. 

God's blessings for the year gone by and the year to come,

Sam

Ecclesiastes 3:1-15
For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: ²a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; ³a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; ⁴a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; ⁵a time to throw away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; ⁶a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to throw away; ⁷a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; ⁸a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace. 

⁹What gain have the workers from their toil? ¹⁰I have seen the business that God has given to everyone to be busy with.¹¹He has made everything suitable for its time; moreover he has put a sense of past and future into their minds, yet they cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end. 

¹²I know that there is nothing better for them than to be happy and enjoy themselves as long as they live; ¹³moreover, it is God’s gift that all should eat and drink and take pleasure in all their toil. ¹⁴I know that whatever God does endures forever; nothing can be added to it, nor anything taken from it; God has done this, so that all should stand in awe before him. ¹⁵That which is, already has been; that which is to be, already is; and God seeks out what has gone by.

year end perspective

Good evening friends,

Ecclesiastes is a great book for perspective. While it seems pessimistic, it really just helps us see the limits of human work. The end of a year is a time to set goals, but especially to think about lining our life with what really matters.

God bless,
Sam

Ecclesiastes 1:1-11

The words of the Teacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.²Vanity of vanities, says the Teacher, vanity of vanities! All is vanity.³What do people gain from all the toil at which they toil under the sun?

⁴A generation goes, and a generation comes, but the earth remains forever. ⁵The sun rises and the sun goes down, and hurries to the place where it rises. ⁶The wind blows to the south, and goes around to the north; round and round goes the wind, and on its circuits the wind returns. ⁷All streams run to the sea, but the sea is not full; to the place where the streams flow, there they continue to flow. ⁸All things are wearisome; more than one can express; the eye is not satisfied with seeing, or the ear filled with hearing.

⁹What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done; there is nothing new under the sun. ¹⁰Is there a thing of which it is said, “See, this is new”? It has already been, in the ages before us.¹¹The people of long ago are not remembered, nor will there be any remembrance of people yet to come by those who come after them.

teach us to number our days

Good morning friends,
Just a reminder that if there are any particular questions or concerns you'd like me to touch on in the sermon on end of life matters, today or tomorrow would be great times to give me a call or an email. Of course, there will be other opportunities, I'm sure, but this is a good one. Today's passage is a Psalm traditionally credited to Moses. It's a reflection on the fragility of human life. Even though the days sometimes drag, our life passes quickly. In the rush and frustration of that, we put our trust in God, who is eternal. When we remember how short life is, we realize each moment, each opportunity to love and share and savor is precious.

God bless,
Sam

Psalm 90:1-17

Lord, you have been our dwelling place in all generations.

Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.

You turn us back to dust, and say, “Turn back, you mortals.”

For a thousand years in your sight are like yesterday when it is past,

or like a watch in the night.

You sweep them away; they are like a dream, like grass that is renewed in the morning;

in the morning it flourishes and is renewed; in the evening it fades and withers.

For we are consumed by your anger; by your wrath we are overwhelmed.

You have set our iniquities before you, our secret sins in the light of your countenance.

For all our days pass away under your wrath; our years come to an end like a sigh.

The days of our life are seventy years, or perhaps eighty, if we are strong;

even then their span is only toil and trouble; they are soon gone, and we fly away.

Who considers the power of your anger? Your wrath is as great as the fear that is due you.

So teach us to count our days that we may gain a wise heart.

Turn, O Lord! How long? Have compassion on your servants!

Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love,

so that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.

Make us glad as many days as you have afflicted us,

and as many years as we have seen evil.

Let your work be manifest to your servants, and your glorious power to their children.

Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us,

and prosper for us the work of our hands— O prosper the work of our hands!

a time for everything

Good afternoon friends,
Today we start a week looking at aging and end of life questions as we prepare for a sermon on end of life perspectives. If there's anything you particularly would like me to focus on in my preparation for the sermon, feel free to send me an email or give me a call. Appropriately, I'm sending this from in front of a nursing home. It was comforting for me to see the staff and other residents welcome our patient back home after a hospital stay. Today we read a familiar passage reminding us that there is a time for everything. As much as our culture tries to deny or ignore it, we will all die someday. We can't change that, but if we accept and embrace it, I suspect there are blessings in every season.

God bless,
Sam

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: ²a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; ³a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; ⁴a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; ⁵a time to throw away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; ⁶a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to throw away; ⁷a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; ⁸a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace.