There Is A Time

The Bible sort of fell open to Ecclesiastes 3:1 today. I have trouble with Ecclesiastes. I know it is one of Solomon's wisdom books, but it seems somewhat fatalistic. To some extent though it is comforting. It says that both good and bad happen, and in all of that we should "12:13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, For this is man's all.14 For God will bring every work into judgment, Including every secret thing,"

3:1 Whether good or evil.To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven:
2 A time to be born,And a time to die;
A time to plant,And a time to pluck what 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;
A time to embrace,And a time to refrain from embracing;
6 A time to gain,And a time to lose;
A time to keep,And a time to throw away;
7 A time to tear,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.

It seemed apt today as I reread this to think about life with it's ups and downs. It is comforting to know that through it all, God is in charge and God is there. He doesn't leave in the bad times. I don't know why he allows them; perhaps the answer is in verse 14 "I know that whatever God does, It shall be forever. Nothing can be added to it, And nothing taken from it.

God does it, that men should fear before Him."

Go Until God Says Stop.

Our pastor just returned from India and the Czech Republic. He taught from 1 Samuel 14 today. We were challanged to have a mindset like Jonathan vs the mindset of Saul. Saul had grown comfortable and "safe", camping out under the pomegranate tree. Jonathan decided to seek out the battle against the enemy. Instead of waiting to "hear from God", he did what was on his heart and had a victory given him by God. Pastor said sometimes we sit around waiting on a word from God when we ought to get up and move. Paul did this in Acts. He hadn't received a word from God, so he set out to visit churches, and God directed him in it. I think this is probably what we should do. Pastor said we should go until God says "stop", rather than waiting until God says "go." I am challenged to look at the next phase of my life and how to get ready for that. I've thought of getting my Master's in Christian Ministry through part time school over the next several years. I'm sure if God's in it, he'll provide the means.

End of The Spear

I am currently reading End of The Spear. I am enjoying the book a lot. In a previous post, I mentioned the movie. It had a lot of gaps that are filled in here. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to enter mission work or to know what it's like to reach "indigenous people." This has opened my eyes to a whole new world of Christian work. I don't think any of us can go into an "alien" culture and really understand it well without having spent years living there. I am reminded of my own naivette when I started working in Prison Ministry. The offenders (whom we called "Men in White" as that was the color of their prison uniforms had a way of thnking that was alien and shocking to me. I realized that it would be difficult for me to identify with many of them. In that ministry (KAIROS) we learned to "Listen, Listen, Love, Love." Without being critical, I think a great many Christians arrogantly think that Christianinty in an alien culture should look like a Norman Rockwell painting. My experiences and those I'm reading as related by Steve Saint, tell me God meets His children where they are.