A Time for Every Purpose (Ecc 3:1-8)

A TIME FOR EVERY PURPOSE (Ecc 3:1-8):

After reflecting about vanity in everything without the touch of God, the author of the book of Ecclesiastes tries to give out a reasonable explanation with reference to time. The author writes that there is a season for everything and a time for every purpose under heaven. Everything that happens for the individuals as well as the environment has its own season, as the God the creator had destined it. Also, every purpose will be right, sustaining and satisfying only when it happens at the right time and thereby every purpose on the earth has its own time. There is a time to be born which is very specific as well as there is a time to die which also is specific, that God alone could know through His sovereignty, apart from the natural wisdom of human beings, though there could be predications. There is a time to plant when it’s the right season with favorable weather and climate for cultivation and there is a time to pluck up when the field is ready for harvest after it is well grown and ripe enough.

There is a time to kill during the time of protecting the dependents from the enemy or evil one and there is a time to heal the people associated physically as well as mentally, even the stranger who is in need. The time to kill could be also out of uncontrollable wrath or revenge which might not necessarily kill a person but may just hurt to wound and the time to kill could be also mercy killing. There is a time to break down to capture some fortress or renovate an old infrastructure and there is a time to build up in vacant land or where there is nothing. There is a time to weep as everyone undergoes failures, struggles, and separations in life and there is a time to laugh as there are successes, achievements, and togetherness too. There is a time to mourn because of the bitterness of heart due to unexpected situations and there is a time to dance due to the happiness of heart due to exciting things.

There is a time to cast away stones from the field to help the crops grow well or from the path that hinders the movement and there is a time to gather stones together to build or level. There is a time to embrace when there is unity with one another and there is a time to refrain from embracing allowing the other to stand independent and confident. There is a time to get something through seeking that is worthy and there is a time to lose certain things that addicts or makes useless or makes less useful. There is a time to keep certain things as remembrance and reward and there is a time to cast away the remembrance of something that is no more needed. There is a time to rend when there is an affliction or when the life of cloth ends and there is a time to sew when there is a need for new clothing. There is a time to keep silent when there are situations unfavorable or when speech is not needed and there is a time to speak when it makes sense or when it is beneficial. There is a time to love when the person is strong and self-sufficient and there is a time to hate in order to deny reliance on something unrealistic. There is a time of war when there are injustice, unfair coalition, and attack and there is a time of peace for the fair coalition, unity and welfare of one another without losing resources.

Stimulations for Self-Reflection:

1.    What is there for everything and every purpose? How?

2.    How there is time to be born and die? How there is time to pluck up and plant?

3.    How there is time to kill and heal? How there is time to break and build?

4.    How there is time to weep and laugh?  How there is time to mourn and dance?

5.    How there is time to cast stones and gather stones? How there is time to embrace and refrain?

6.    How there is time to get and lose? How there is time to keep and cast away?

7.    How there is time to rend and sew? How there is time to keep silence and speak?

8.    How there is time to love and hate? How there is time to war and peace?

9.    What is the significance of season and time for everything and every purpose as a believer?