Saturday - Ecclesiastes 3 - In His Time

I

don’t know about you, but I know that I can be awfully impatient at times.  I want what I want, and I want it now.  And, while I would like to think that maturity tempers our expressions of these sentiments, I fear that the insistence of our own way according to our own schedule never fully dies out of the human heart.  But, if we will observe objectively, we will all see that there is an appropriate time for each phenomenon in life.  See Solomon's poetic listing here in Ecclesiastes 3:1-8.

In Ecclesiastes 3:1 & 11 we find the reason behind Solomon's contrasting enumeration.  There is a purpose behind every event.  God has a reason for causing (or allowing) every single thing that happens.  And, although we frequently can't see the reasons why, in the end, when time has ended, we will all be able to look back with amazement to worship God for the perfection of His plan (vs. 14).  There will be no second-guessing Him.  There will be no speculation concerning how things could have been in any way better. 

But, right now we are all trapped.  We study, observe, and wonder, and yet not one man has ever mastered the blueprint of life.  So, while there is certainly nothing wrong (and indeed everything right) with our explorations into the mind of God, we must be willing to appreciate the little nuggets that we are able to grasp (vs. 12-13).

Now, there is indeed one particular point (or time) that matters more than any other.  Like in a college course, the final exam is the climax of the class, so also our lives will culminate at the throne of God (vs. 17).  Because of this, it is imperative that we all learn humility now (vs. 18) while it can still do us some good.