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Friday 6-10-22 6th. Day Of The Weekly Cycle, Sivan 10, 5782 83rd. Spring Day
Time Enough
Read: Ecclesiastes 3:1–13 | Bible in a Year: 2 Chronicles 34–36; John 19:1–22
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He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end. Ecclesiastes 3:11
When I saw the massive volume of Leo Tolstoy’s War and Peace on my friend’s bookshelf, I confessed, “I’ve never actually made it all the way through that.” “Well,” Marty chuckled, “When I retired from teaching, I got it as a gift from a friend who told me, ‘Now you’ll finally have time to read it.’ ”
The first eight verses of Ecclesiastes 3 state a familiar, natural rhythm of the activities of life with some arbitrary choices. No matter what stage of life we find ourselves in, it’s often difficult to find time to do everything we want to do. And to make wise decisions about managing our time, it’s helpful to have a plan (Psalm 90:12).
Time spent with God each day is a priority for our spiritual health. Doing productive work is satisfying to our spirit (Ecclesiastes 3:13). Serving God and helping other people is essential to fulfilling God’s purpose for us (Ephesians 2:10). And times of rest or leisure aren’t wasted but refreshing for body and spirit.
Of course, it’s easy to become too focused on the here and now—finding time for the things that matter most to us. But Ecclesiastes 3:11 says that God has “set eternity” in our hearts—reminding us to make a priority of things that are eternal. That can bring us face to face with something of the greatest importance—God’s eternal perspective “from beginning to end.”
What different choices might you make about the way you’re spending your time? What did the author of Ecclesiastes mean about God setting eternity in the human heart?
Jesus, give me a glimpse of Your eternal perspective and help me to search for the right balance of time that better fulfills Your purpose.
Learn how to help the hurting.
INSIGHT
Ecclesiastes tells the story of a gifted mortal who loses his way “under the sun” (1:9). Fitting the description of King Solomon, the writer (who calls himself “the Teacher” v. 1) begins well, using his God-given wisdom to seek justice for even the most troubled members of his kingdom (see 1 Kings 3:16–28).
But he loses his way when he forgets that his wisdom and wealth weren’t given primarily for his own satisfaction. Only as an apparent afterthought does he remember that lasting significance is found by living in the light and goodness of God (Ecclesiastes 12:13–14).
By Cindy Hess Kasper|June 10th, 2022
Spiritual Disciplines Ecclesiastes Three:1-13
1 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
2 A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
3 A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
5 A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
6 A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
7 A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
8 A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.
9 What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboureth?
10 I have seen the travail, which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised in it.
11 He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.
12 I know that there is no good in them, but for a man to rejoice, and to do good in his life.
13 And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labour, it is the gift of God.
Read full chapter
Love, Walter and Debbie
Time Enough
Read: Ecclesiastes 3:1–13 | Bible in a Year: 2 Chronicles 34–36; John 19:1–22
Download MP3
Subscribe to iTunes
He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end. Ecclesiastes 3:11
When I saw the massive volume of Leo Tolstoy’s War and Peace on my friend’s bookshelf, I confessed, “I’ve never actually made it all the way through that.” “Well,” Marty chuckled, “When I retired from teaching, I got it as a gift from a friend who told me, ‘Now you’ll finally have time to read it.’ ”
The first eight verses of Ecclesiastes 3 state a familiar, natural rhythm of the activities of life with some arbitrary choices. No matter what stage of life we find ourselves in, it’s often difficult to find time to do everything we want to do. And to make wise decisions about managing our time, it’s helpful to have a plan (Psalm 90:12).
Time spent with God each day is a priority for our spiritual health. Doing productive work is satisfying to our spirit (Ecclesiastes 3:13). Serving God and helping other people is essential to fulfilling God’s purpose for us (Ephesians 2:10). And times of rest or leisure aren’t wasted but refreshing for body and spirit.
Of course, it’s easy to become too focused on the here and now—finding time for the things that matter most to us. But Ecclesiastes 3:11 says that God has “set eternity” in our hearts—reminding us to make a priority of things that are eternal. That can bring us face to face with something of the greatest importance—God’s eternal perspective “from beginning to end.”
What different choices might you make about the way you’re spending your time? What did the author of Ecclesiastes mean about God setting eternity in the human heart?
Jesus, give me a glimpse of Your eternal perspective and help me to search for the right balance of time that better fulfills Your purpose.
Learn how to help the hurting.
INSIGHT
Ecclesiastes tells the story of a gifted mortal who loses his way “under the sun” (1:9). Fitting the description of King Solomon, the writer (who calls himself “the Teacher” v. 1) begins well, using his God-given wisdom to seek justice for even the most troubled members of his kingdom (see 1 Kings 3:16–28).
But he loses his way when he forgets that his wisdom and wealth weren’t given primarily for his own satisfaction. Only as an apparent afterthought does he remember that lasting significance is found by living in the light and goodness of God (Ecclesiastes 12:13–14).
By Cindy Hess Kasper|June 10th, 2022
Spiritual Disciplines Ecclesiastes Three:1-13
1 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
2 A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
3 A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
5 A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
6 A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
7 A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
8 A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.
9 What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboureth?
10 I have seen the travail, which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised in it.
11 He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.
12 I know that there is no good in them, but for a man to rejoice, and to do good in his life.
13 And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labour, it is the gift of God.
Read full chapter
Love, Walter and Debbie
