Because we are in a shift of times and seasons I'm doing some deep thinking about God ordained seasons. And God ordained season changes. From the beginning of time God set the order of the seasons in place and it has never changed.
"The seasons come, the seasons go, we get a little sunshine, rain and snow. Just the way that it was planned to be."
Isn't that a profound and true to life statement? It's the first verse in a song I loved as a very young lady. To me it's a good reminder that the wisdom of God can be found in unusual places. The phrase reminds me a lot of a similiar truth found in scripture in the book of ...
Ecclesiastes 3:
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.
I think we're all a lot alike. There are some things I like better in one season than I like in another. We welcome the new season in and then after awhile we tire of the imperfections in the current season and we're ready to welcome in a new one. This is the natural God orchestrated rule of the seasons of the earth and weather patterns.
However, very often season changes are ushered in by life changes that we really don't desire or welcome. There are times in which we've enjoyed a time to laugh and suddenly we've encountered a new season which is not so laughable. In fact, there's a time for weeping upon us. It could be a serious change in our health, a relationship, a death, a child's trauma. But whatever, it's one we're powerless to change. We have to learn how to adjust to the new. For kingdom of Christ people are able to learn how to seek and trust God. he knows the way through and he will guide us.
The troubles and trials of life come upon all of us. And just as troubles come, there are sweet times of joy and wonderful cycles of life to celebrate. Times to mourn through and times to dance through. Times to hate the bad and times to love the good. We gain and then we lose. We keep and we cast away. And no human being can escape this natural order of life. The people of God will suffer most of the same things that the natural man does.
Yet, for those who open up their ears and hearts to the voice of the Lord and his body we can walk in light. When we listen for instruction we have choices we can make that the world knows nothing about. And even if we've slumbered and have missed some lines and precepts, He still waits for us. We can still arise, and fine tune our ears to his voice.
Isaiah 28:
9 Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts. 10 For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little: 11 For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people. 12 To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear.
If we are not alert as we should be we might miss keeping up with his lines and precepts. But there is a season of mercy and grace.
Isaiah 30:18
And therefore will the Lord wait, that he may be gracious unto you, and therefore will he be exalted, that he may have mercy upon you: for the Lord is a God of judgment: blessed are all they that wait for him.
All of us at times will face season changes we're not pleased with. That's unchangeable fact. But we have a fountain of wisdom and mercy we can run to. We have a comforter and a counselor. His mercies are new every morning, and through our wise choices we can have his help to adjust to all that comes. He is our Almighty God and He has all power over the depth and duration of hard seasons. He will work with us as we co-operate with him. As we seek His counsel he will build wisdom and endurance and we can walk through our sufferings with grace. And soon the difficult times of trials will become stepping stones into a more abundant life. As we grow bolder in God we can even laugh our way through.
There's just no end to the wonders available to us in God! He is always near and waiting for us to respond to his love with our willing and submissive prayers.."Yes, Lord, show me your way through this and out of it"
