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- Apr 25, 2006
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27 April 2007
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8
There is a time for everything,
and everything on earth has its special season.
There is a time to be born
and a time to die.
There is a time to plant
and a time to pull up plants.
There is a time to kill
and a time to heal.
There is a time to destroy
and a time to build.
There is a time to cry
and a time to laugh.
There is a time to be sad
and a time to dance.
There is a time to throw away stones
and a time to gather them.
There is a time to hug
and a time not to hug.
There is a time to look for something
and a time to stop looking for it.
There is a time to keep things
and a time to throw things away.
There is a time to tear apart
and a time to sew together.
There is a time to be silent
and a time to speak.
There is a time to love
and a time to hate.
There is a time for war
and a time for peace.
Pop Quiz time! Which group turned this passage of Ecclesiastes into a chart-topping single in 1965? (It also featured in the 1994 film Forrest Gump).
The answer is: The Byrds (bonus points for anyone who knew it was written by a folk singer and political activist named Pete Seeger)!
Many people consider this to be one of the defining anthems of the Sixties, and it is often understood to be a plea for world peace (especially true for Americans with their country being engulfed in the Vietnam War). But there are other interpretations. My Mum (a teenager at the time), whilst agreeing with the sentiments of it, also found it deeper and more thoughtful than many songs of the age, picking up something new each time she heard it.
But suppose a teenager heard it for the first time today. Would it have a similar meaning, merely replacing 'Vietnam' with 'Iraq'? For some it probably would. Others would find a different meaning within these words.
So what did Solomon mean when he first wrote this poem? That different events and actions each have their own time. Some, we have no control over. We have no control over our birth, or events that trigger us to feel different ways.
But others do involve human decision-making. For example, we can decide when to speak and when to keep silent. Knowing the right time for these can be crucial - think of how many conflicts could have been avoided if someone had chosen to hold their tongue.
All these activities are appropriate at certain times (even hate, when it is hating a situation such as children starving in Africa). We can learn to recognise these times as we deepen our relationship with God and, in every situation, pausing to think, "What would Jesus do?"
If possible, ask someone who remembers the Sixties how they felt when they first heard The Byrds play that song (it is called "Turn, Turn, Turn").
Then listen to it yourself (it is easy to find with an Internet Search Engine if you do not have access to it at home). As you listen to the song, ask God to speak to you through it, and pray for his wisdom to help you recognise his timing in every situation.
Written by Capt. Chris Routledge CA.
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8
There is a time for everything,
and everything on earth has its special season.
There is a time to be born
and a time to die.
There is a time to plant
and a time to pull up plants.
There is a time to kill
and a time to heal.
There is a time to destroy
and a time to build.
There is a time to cry
and a time to laugh.
There is a time to be sad
and a time to dance.
There is a time to throw away stones
and a time to gather them.
There is a time to hug
and a time not to hug.
There is a time to look for something
and a time to stop looking for it.
There is a time to keep things
and a time to throw things away.
There is a time to tear apart
and a time to sew together.
There is a time to be silent
and a time to speak.
There is a time to love
and a time to hate.
There is a time for war
and a time for peace.
Pop Quiz time! Which group turned this passage of Ecclesiastes into a chart-topping single in 1965? (It also featured in the 1994 film Forrest Gump).
The answer is: The Byrds (bonus points for anyone who knew it was written by a folk singer and political activist named Pete Seeger)!
Many people consider this to be one of the defining anthems of the Sixties, and it is often understood to be a plea for world peace (especially true for Americans with their country being engulfed in the Vietnam War). But there are other interpretations. My Mum (a teenager at the time), whilst agreeing with the sentiments of it, also found it deeper and more thoughtful than many songs of the age, picking up something new each time she heard it.
But suppose a teenager heard it for the first time today. Would it have a similar meaning, merely replacing 'Vietnam' with 'Iraq'? For some it probably would. Others would find a different meaning within these words.
So what did Solomon mean when he first wrote this poem? That different events and actions each have their own time. Some, we have no control over. We have no control over our birth, or events that trigger us to feel different ways.
But others do involve human decision-making. For example, we can decide when to speak and when to keep silent. Knowing the right time for these can be crucial - think of how many conflicts could have been avoided if someone had chosen to hold their tongue.
All these activities are appropriate at certain times (even hate, when it is hating a situation such as children starving in Africa). We can learn to recognise these times as we deepen our relationship with God and, in every situation, pausing to think, "What would Jesus do?"
If possible, ask someone who remembers the Sixties how they felt when they first heard The Byrds play that song (it is called "Turn, Turn, Turn").
Then listen to it yourself (it is easy to find with an Internet Search Engine if you do not have access to it at home). As you listen to the song, ask God to speak to you through it, and pray for his wisdom to help you recognise his timing in every situation.
Written by Capt. Chris Routledge CA.
