Ecclesiastes 3
A Time for Everything
1 For everything there is a season,
a time for every activity under heaven.
2 A time to be born and a time to die.
A time to plant and a time to harvest.
3 A time to kill and a time to heal.
A time to tear down and a time to build up.

Most of know this verse, there is a famous song written from it, people quote it all the time. But what does it really mean?

"Cow Dung at 5 feet"--Abraham Lincoln when asked his choice of weapons after being challenged to a duel.

See? Abraham Lincoln knew when to fight and when he had more important things to do. Someone who was angry with him, angry enough to challenge him to a duel to the death, had asked him to choose the weapons. Lincoln, did not have time to play silly games, he was a busy man.

Ecclesiastes tells us that there is a "Season For Everything" and then goes on to explain the different "Seasons" of our lives. I really like how every "activity under heaven" pretty much sums up the whole thing, But "A time to tear down and a time to build up" is one of my favorites from this verse.

Lincoln knew when it was time to fight and when it was not. He put the person who challenged him in his place. I imagine there were laughs, giggling, pointing of fingers by those who heard Lincolns response. I mean "WHAT A COMEBACK" Today there would have been "high fives" all around.

"A time to tear down and a time to build up" What is there in our lives that we need to tear down? Lack of Faith, Dishonesty, untruth, waste of time, waste of talents, gossiping, anger, hatred, prejudice of anyone different from us, lack of compassion, selfishness, unconcern, pride let me repeat that one: PRIDE, .................that Pride thing covers most, I think. I believe these are the things that need to be torn down and gotten rid of. But what does God want in their place? Everything opposite of these things, Faith, Truth, accountability of our time and talents, loving everyone, compassion, sharing, concern, and what about that PRIDE? Replaced with humility.

Yes, there is a season for everything under heaven. God knows the seasons, but they are just that SEASONS of our life. That means they will pass, just as Spring turns into Summer and Summer turns into Fall.....CHANGE is coming. We will not always be were we are right now, in our walk with Christ. That means more opportunities , more challenges, more triumphs and yes more failures, we are human after all. And it means more love, more compassion, more humility, more joy, more happiness, more security in HIM and what we are doing for HIM>

Right now I am going through one of those seasons. My Mom died almost 2 years ago, and I have been taking care of my Dad. He has gotten weaker and weaker to the point that he is now in a Rehab Hospital to try and gain his strength back. For 4 years this "Season" has been going on for me, 2 years while my Mom suffered with Cancer, and the almost 2 years since. I tell God all the time how tired I am, and He sends me His strength. I complain to my Daughter, Son, and Sister, all the time about what Dad does, or says. He is not a easy person to take care of, he is stubborn, well so am I. We bang heads some, but I love my Dad I mean he is my Dad. But this is why I am close to him right now, it is a season that God knew was coming in our lives. It is challenging, but God knows me and knows Dad and know the situation. He has helped like you would not believe in me, and Dad. You see, Dad and I are very much alike, believe that, a Son and Father alike!!. So we get on each others nerves allot. But in this Season of my life, I have become the Adult, if you will. Dad takes my advice, and sometimes agrees, not always but at least he doesn't just dismiss it like when I was a kid. See a different Season for him as well? I know this season will pass and there will be another waiting for me, and I know God will be there as well.

In all of nature nothing stays the same, there is always change, time always passing, seasons changing from one to the other. Weather changing along with the seasons, the sun rising the sun going down the moon doing the same. The Earth rotating on it's axes, and in motion around our son, our solar system as a whole in motion around the universe. The universe just a part of the vast milky way........Motion, changes, seasons, all around us. God is a God of change, constant change. I love that about Him. I hate "sameness" I have to have change. The best way to clean my apartment is to change the furniture around so that I have change and that I can clean behind, and under where things used to be.

Are you in a new season of your life? It is hard, that transition, as much as I like change, I love routines. My cat knows my routine very well,
she leads me from one room to the other knowing exactly where I am going next. I like change, but not in my day to day schedule. Weird huh? But God brings change/seasons to our lives all the time. Without them we would grow bored, not challenged ,lackadaisical and God knows this.

I was born into a military family, my Dad a retired Marine, so change was part of life growing up. We moved, it seemed all the time. (Maybe this is why I need change, so much, just seems unnatural without it?) But I can make friends fast, I can relate to people very well, I love others, I don't need to take 1 or more years to start to talk and get to know someone new. I start up conversations with people in elevators, on the bus, in the bathroom (and usually get a grunt of a response:)) But, I believe, this is from all the Changes or Seasons in my early life.
I am not saying quit your job every 3 years and move to a new city to start over so you can have a new season. I am saying let God bring the change, the seasons. He loves to bring opportunities your way and let you interact with others, usually when you and they need it most.

I guess what I am saying here is: Change is good. There is a season, and the seasons never stay the same (wouldn't that be boring?) Don't worry about the little things, the guy that challenges you to a duel and wants to know your choice of weapons. We have a job to do for our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. If someone does challenge you to a duel to the death, you could always talk to them about death. "where will you spend eternity if I beat you?"

There is "A time for everything, For everything there is a season, A time for every activity under heaven, a time to be born, a time to die. A time to plant, a time to harvest. A time to kill and a time to heal. A time to tear down and a time to build up.." We are all at different seasons in our lives, where are you?

One of the coolest things about our Father, Jehovah, is it doesn't matter where we are in our lives, He is there. For every person alive today He is right beside them, ready to help them in what ever Season we may be going through. He is there. If you find yourself in a tough, hard, season, don't worry He is there with you, and the seasons will change, it will get better. If you find yourself in a good season, on top of the world, don't get used to it, seasons will change and problems will come, but He will be there.

Whatever season you find yourself in, God is there. Always.