The writer of Ecclesiastes observed:
There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens:…
a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak (1,7).
For Jesus the time to speak and ‘go public’ apparently had come.
The last few chapters He has been preparing His disciples, explaining that He would die in
· Riding into
· Clearing the
· His more belligerent response to the religious leaders (27-33).
What I see in this is that His time for more declarative action had come.
There apparently was a ‘shift of season,’ that called for a different ministry style and manner of living and presenting the kingdom of heaven.
This got me thinking about my life and times… I (we) also experience ‘shifts of season’ that call us to different ways of living. As a pastor there are different seasons for preaching, some require stronger confronting words (I think of Martin Luther King Jr and his non-violent protests to confront our discrimination). Then there can be times that call for soothing comfort or the responding to the questions of ‘why’ like after 9-11.
Parenting has seasonal shifts as children grow.
Marriages have seasonal shifts…
Evangelism efforts by individuals or churches have seasonal shifts when our manner or words need to be altered to meet the challenges of the moment.
As I ponder all this I wonder if God is setting me up for a seasonal shift somewhere in my life’s set of responsibilities.
Jesus understood the times and changed His approach accordingly… do I? Do we?
Thoughts to chew on today…
O, God, may I have wisdom to discern the times and live accordingly. I pray through my Savior, Jesus and I pray this for His honor and glory as well. I am Yours, Jesus. I am Yours! Amen.
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