3:1 "To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven..." Everything has its time and season, even if it seems untimely and out of season to us. As children of God, we submit even the details of our lives to His will. Having done so, we can trust that when something does or does not happen to us, its nature and timing has been chosen and sanctioned by Him. That level of trust in God is a balm, a peace that we can carry throughout a life of learning ever to trust in Him.
So varied and progressive are the seasons of life that within it...
3:2 There is a time for birth and death. A time for planting and harvest.
3:3 There is a time to kill and a time to heal. A time to deconstruct and a time to construct.
3:4 A time of sadness and a time of laughter. A time of grief and a time of celebration.
3:5 A time to get rid of of things and a time to gather them. A time to hug and to refrain from doing so.
3:6 A time of gain and a time of loss. A time to retain and a time to let go.
3:7 A time to rip up and a time to mend. A time to be quiet and a time to speak up.
3:8 A time to love and a time to hate. A time of war and a time of peace.
While we are here on earth, in these bodies, there is so much to experience with our soul. We will go through and around and beside many emotions but God wants us to have faith in Him throughout all of them. As long as we commit our lives to the will of God, everything will have purpose and meaning and lesson. Everything we learn and experience and lose and keep will, by His will, assist us in moving forward.
3:9-11 Solomon's advice is for us not to be preoccupied by laboring for worldly wealth: money, power, fame. We do not need to strive to fulfill earthly desires hastily; God has perfect provision and perfect timing for the delivery of that provision. It was Solomon's observation that we need not rush, God makes everything beautiful in its time: steadily and definitely. We cannot quite comprehend the nature of eternity but God is very comfortable with it and assures that we have time to receive all of His blessings in His time.
3:12-13 Solomon learned that the most important thing we can do is to be happy; to rejoice... to live with gratitude and joy in God's creation and love. The best thing we can do is good. Do good, we are charged by God throughout scripture, and our own actions will bless us. Good will return to us. A good life is a life spent working diligently but enjoying what our good work produces. We shouldn't become greedy or robotic, never sharing or experiencing what hard work makes possible.
3:14-15 Solomon had the faith and confidence to know that what God does is permanent. He is the sole creator of this universe; no one can change the track or nature of life. He has determined life to be everlasting and good and therefore life always will be. Like Solomon, we should come to believe that reverence of God is nourishment for our souls.
We can trust in the fact that God is consistent. The law of the universe, the laws of nature, have been written and established by Him. They will be upheld by Him; and He has so much experience with life that we can trust our own life in His hands.
3:16-17 So often, the world has it backward. Injustice and iniquity where there should be righteousness and peace. It would drive us crazy if not for our faith that God will restore order.
3:18-22 Solomon observed that life serves to humble humanity. In a humble state, we are able to submit to God's will, trust Him and do good. Such is the formula for a good and purposeful, faith-driven life.
