The following is from the Great Experiment Blog, posted on March 8th. Reflecting on Ecclesiastes 3:1-8.
“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens.” ~ Ecclesiastes 3:1.
This Scripture from Ecclesiastes was one of the passages used in a funeral I officiated last weekend. “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heaven …”
I’ve used it in a number of contexts over the years: funerals mostly, but also sermons, memorial services, welcoming new pastors or saying goodbye to old ones, even weddings. We are mid-way through the Great Experiment and I’m thinking about it now in the context of prayer. There is a time for everything, and all that we bring to the Lord as we pray.
Sometimes we will bring to the Lord our tears, mourning, scattering, tearing, silence, hatred and war. At other times we will bring the Lord our life; planting, healing, laughing, dancing, embracing, mending, love and peace. All of life, good and bad, belongs before the Lord in prayer. There is no sense in holding anything back; he wants to be Lord of it all!
At times, I try very hard to put my best foot forward. I want to give God excellence. I want God to know that what I’m offering is nothing short of the best of me. I think that’s a laudable thing. But there must also be times when I bring God the foot that drags along behind me. There needs to be a time when I give God my failures and my unworthiness. I need to acknowledge before God (God, of course, already knows) that my best is nothing but filthy rags. For each of these extremes there is a time, and a season.
Prayer is a must in all times and in every season of our lives. We must avoid the pitfall that believes a life of prayer is only for some seasons and during certain times. It is always a good time to turn to the Lord. Prayer is never out of season.
~Godspeed
No comments:
Post a Comment