What season are you in?

There is ...

"...a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance, 

a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing." - Ecclesiastes 3:4-6

The familiarity of Solomon's words may dull our understanding of his actual meaning. However as we pause and reflect deeply on the words, we see how he acknowledges that over his life-time he has seen definite times when he had to cry at the loss of someone, or laugh as he danced at a wedding. 

He also understood that there would be moments when we would need to gather stones in order to build a wall or clear a vineyard, but also there would be a time to cast stones into an enemies plot of land. 

The last part of today's reading is interesting for us. For this to make some sense, perhaps think about how we had to endure the early days of Lockdown, where we were not allowed to see loved ones and friends. That was a 'time' and 'season' to refrain from embracing, through circumstances that were beyond our control. Hopefully we can move into a new season that allow us to embrace again. 

Perhaps Solomon was thinking about times in his life where he had the gift of his family close by, but then there were times when he travelled far away and wasn't able to be with his loved ones?

What season are you currently finding yourself in?

Living in Grace

D3LM3