Daily Devotional For Wednesday, April 2, 2025
The Scriptures affirm that the wisest man to have ever lived was a man by the name of Solomon. He is credited with writing the book of Proverbs, Ecclesiastes and the Song of Solomon. In the Book of Ecclesiastes, Solomon deals with the nature and the pace of life. For example, he writes this in Ecclesiastes 3:1-8:
“There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven— (2) A time to give birth and a time to die; A time to plant and a time to uproot what is planted. (3) A time to kill and a time to heal; A time to tear down and a time to build up. (4) A time to weep and a time to laugh; A time to mourn and a time to dance. (5) A time to throw stones and a time to gather stones; A time to embrace and a time to shun embracing. (6) A time to search and a time to give up as lost; A time to keep and a time to throw away. (7) A time to tear apart and a time to sew together; A time to be silent and a time to speak. (8) A time to love and a time to hate; A time for war and a time for peace” (NASB.
In 1965, the rock group The Byrds came out with a song based on this called, “Turn. Turn. Turn.” The opening lyrics go this way: “To everything, turn, turn, turn, There is a season, turn, turn, turn, And a time to every purpose under heaven.” Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, Solomon focuses on the reality there is a time for everything. These seasons he writes about are common to everyone who has ever lived, lives and will ever live. Solomon shares his observations at length and closes with this conclusion in Ecclesiastes 12:12-13, “The conclusion, when all has been heard, is: fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person. (14) For God will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil” (NASB).
Solomon writes, “Fear God and keep His commandments.” Everything else is subordinate to that. God is going to evaluate every deed, not arbitrarily, but based on the counsel of His Word and character. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the One to whom we must give account. We do not earn our redemption to God. Jesus paid that price, and it is a gift. But Church, we are going to give an account of how we live our lives. That’s our motivation for the fear of God.
This means every step we take with the time we are given, we must make the most of it in obedience to God. We never know how much time God is going to give us nor do we know how many steps God is going to let us take on in our walk with Him. This reminds me of a soldier named Raph, who served during the Vietnam War. See below:
“A university professor tells of being invited to speak at a military base one December and there meeting an unforgettable soldier named Ralph. Ralph had been sent to meet him at the airport. After they had introduced themselves, they headed toward the baggage claim. As they walked down the concourse, Ralph kept disappearing. Once to help an older woman whose suitcase had fallen open. Once to lift two toddlers up to where they could see Santa Claus, again to give directions to someone who was lost. Each time he came back with a smile on his face.
"Where did you learn that?" the professor asked. "What?" Ralph said. "Where did you learn to live like that?" "Oh," Ralph said, "during the war, I guess." He then told the professor about his tour of duty in Vietnam, how it was his job to clear minefields, how he watched his friends blow up before his eyes, one after another.
"I learned to live between steps," he said. "I never knew whether the next one would be my last, so I learned to get everything I could out of the moment between when I picked up my foot and when I put it down again. Every step I took was a whole new world, and I guess I've been that way ever since." The abundance of our lives is not determined by how long we live, but by how well we live with each step we take” (Source: Barbara Brown Taylor in Fresh Illustrations for Preaching & Teaching, from the editors of Leadership Magazine).
We can excuse our ungodliness in many ways, but God’s Word establishes authority and priorities for us, showing us the best pathways for living our days on the earth. God’s Word gives us the best steps we should take through this minefield called life.
Questions To Consider
- In Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, which of these seasons of life have you experienced? How did you handle them? What was the impact on your life and walk with Christ? There is a time for every purpose under heaven. How and why is this true?
- No matter what steps you take nor the direction you take, you will have to give an account to God for it? How does this impact your life?
- Knowing we all are going to face God in the end, the motivation to fear the Lord should affect and impact us all. How does this motivation to fear the Lord impact your life?
- Have you learned to get everything you can out of the steps in between the moments of steps you take? Why or why not?
- Knowing there is a time to die, how prepared are you for that?
Scripture To Meditate On: Ecclesiastes 3:17, “I said to myself, “God will judge both the righteous man and the wicked man,” for a time for every matter and for every deed is there” (NASB).
Prayer To Pray: “Heavenly Father, thank You that I cannot hide anything from You, and I ask You to forgive me for when I have excused ungodliness in myself or others. May fear and reverence of You grow within me. May I have a greater desire to please and honor You than anyone or anything else. Thank You for writing a better future for me than any I could write for myself, no matter the season. Please help me to take each step You desire and to live fully in each of these seasons of life. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”
I love you Southside!--Pastor Kelly