Ecclesiastes 3:1-13 (NRSV)
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Chapter 3For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: Verse 2a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; Verse 3a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; Verse 4a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; Verse 5a time to throw away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; Verse 6a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to throw away; Verse 7a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; Verse 8a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace. Verse 9What gain have the workers from their toil? Verse 10I have seen the business that God has given to everyone to be busy with.
Verse 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. Verse 12I know that there is nothing better for them than to be happy and enjoy themselves as long as they live; Verse 13moreover, it is God's gift that all should eat and drink and take pleasure in all their toil.
Devotion
“A time to keep and a time to throw away.” It is time to move into a new year and moving means time to get rid of extra baggage. We should certainly get rid of things in closets and cupboards that no longer fit or are not needed. But more specifically, moving into the New Year, we should get rid of things that weigh down the spirit: resentment, anxiety, fear and dullness of spirit. It is a time to reassess our priorities. It is even time to measure our lost enthusiasm.
The Greek word, ENTHEOS, means “god-possessed” and we know that enthusiasm is very closely linked to our calling from God. Ernest Becker (Denial of Death) suggests that perhaps one’s greatest sin may be denying the use of our best God-given gifts. No wonder the human has inner hunger to use one’s talents and finds such reward in giving them to the world. Using your gifts gives to the world something no one else can give. How precious then to use them!
So, “let us lay aside every weight and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus. . . “ (Heb. 12:2)
Prayer
Jesus, cleanse us from everything that separates us from you and others. Help us give ourselves joyfully with our best gifts in witness and service. Amen.