The Timing of Life
The One Who Controls the Timing of Life
Ecclesiastes 3:1-22
Verse 11 “He has made everything appropriate in its time. He has also set eternity in their heart, yet so that man will not find out the work which God has done from the beginning even to the end.”
For those growing up in the 70s, the first eight verses are familiar as they became the words of a popular song by “the Byrds” (yes, that's their name and spelling) entitled “Turn, Turn, Turn.” The words describe the continual movement of polar-opposite events that characterize life and encompass the totality of the experience. Life is a constant movement from one extreme to another. The day someone is born, other people die. We go through different seasons of life that mirror the seasons of nature. Even relationships come and go. New friends enter our lives while old friends drift away (vs 5). We buy new furniture for the home, while on the same trip, we stop at the transfer station to throw away the old.
However, the song that became so popular stopped at the end of verse 8, and in doing so, they missed the whole point of the poem. As the sage reflects upon all the seasons and events of life, he faces a paradox. Throughout the journey in which we vacillate between extremes, he concludes that it seems arbitrary and capricious. When we strive to attain the extreme we believe will bring happiness, we discover that the journey only leads us to the opposite. In verse 9, the writer laments that he cannot find the purpose of the events in life. When we strive to obtain one thing, we discover only the opposite, so life becomes a laborious task that seems to have no meaning or significance.
However, in verse 11, he provides us with the answer to the paradox we face. It is this answer that the song of the '70s missed entirely. The reason the sage takes us on this journey of opposites is to show us that, in reality, we have no control over life. We like to believe we can determine our own journey and control events, but we cannot. However, this does not lead us to fatalism, where we are merely puppets controlled by chance. Instead, there is meaning and purpose in life because God is the one who controls the times and events in our lives (vs 11). Throughout Scripture, we see the thread of doctrine woven throughout: the “doctrine of the right time." Over and over, we see the phrase "at that time...." Just when life seems to be on the brink of despair, we find “At that time," God intervenes. This culminated in the arrival of Jesus. Paul captures this in Galatians 4:4-5: “But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his son....” This reminds us that God’s timing for the arrival of Jesus was not arbitrary but was at the most opportune moment in history. God’s timing in life is always perfect, as it provides Him with an opportunity to accomplish His redemptive purpose in our lives.
When we recognize that God’s timing is perfect and the events he brings into our lives serve an eternal purpose (vs 14), we can find joy in life because we understand that he is in control of all things (vs 12-13). When life doesn't go according to our plan, it serves as a reminder that God remains in control and that his timing and plan are perfect. Instead of becoming anxious, we can enjoy the moment because we know that his plan is ideal. Are vents not going according to your plan or your timing? Are you frustrated because life is outside your control? Remember that all things are in God’s control and his timing is aways perfect.
Ecclesiastes 3:1-22
Verse 11 “He has made everything appropriate in its time. He has also set eternity in their heart, yet so that man will not find out the work which God has done from the beginning even to the end.”
For those growing up in the 70s, the first eight verses are familiar as they became the words of a popular song by “the Byrds” (yes, that's their name and spelling) entitled “Turn, Turn, Turn.” The words describe the continual movement of polar-opposite events that characterize life and encompass the totality of the experience. Life is a constant movement from one extreme to another. The day someone is born, other people die. We go through different seasons of life that mirror the seasons of nature. Even relationships come and go. New friends enter our lives while old friends drift away (vs 5). We buy new furniture for the home, while on the same trip, we stop at the transfer station to throw away the old.
However, the song that became so popular stopped at the end of verse 8, and in doing so, they missed the whole point of the poem. As the sage reflects upon all the seasons and events of life, he faces a paradox. Throughout the journey in which we vacillate between extremes, he concludes that it seems arbitrary and capricious. When we strive to attain the extreme we believe will bring happiness, we discover that the journey only leads us to the opposite. In verse 9, the writer laments that he cannot find the purpose of the events in life. When we strive to obtain one thing, we discover only the opposite, so life becomes a laborious task that seems to have no meaning or significance.
However, in verse 11, he provides us with the answer to the paradox we face. It is this answer that the song of the '70s missed entirely. The reason the sage takes us on this journey of opposites is to show us that, in reality, we have no control over life. We like to believe we can determine our own journey and control events, but we cannot. However, this does not lead us to fatalism, where we are merely puppets controlled by chance. Instead, there is meaning and purpose in life because God is the one who controls the times and events in our lives (vs 11). Throughout Scripture, we see the thread of doctrine woven throughout: the “doctrine of the right time." Over and over, we see the phrase "at that time...." Just when life seems to be on the brink of despair, we find “At that time," God intervenes. This culminated in the arrival of Jesus. Paul captures this in Galatians 4:4-5: “But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his son....” This reminds us that God’s timing for the arrival of Jesus was not arbitrary but was at the most opportune moment in history. God’s timing in life is always perfect, as it provides Him with an opportunity to accomplish His redemptive purpose in our lives.
When we recognize that God’s timing is perfect and the events he brings into our lives serve an eternal purpose (vs 14), we can find joy in life because we understand that he is in control of all things (vs 12-13). When life doesn't go according to our plan, it serves as a reminder that God remains in control and that his timing and plan are perfect. Instead of becoming anxious, we can enjoy the moment because we know that his plan is ideal. Are vents not going according to your plan or your timing? Are you frustrated because life is outside your control? Remember that all things are in God’s control and his timing is aways perfect.
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