Reflections is a weekly meme hosted by Kristin of A Simply Enchanted Life and Fizzy of Fizzy Pop Collection. Every Sunday we will dig deeper in our recent reads to explore the real-life lessons within the pages. Reading the book yourself is not necessary to participate. If you would like to host your own reflection, you’re welcome to copy and paste this introduction, with the link to our pages. You may use our current or prior reflections or come up with your own.
In ‘Who the Bishop Knows‘ by Vannetta Chapman the Amish community loses one of their own during a fatal shooting targeted at this young man at the annual Ski Hi Stampede rodeo. Obviously, this affects the entire community, Amish and Englisch. As Emma and Ruth are standing on the front porch, Ruth comments that ‘life is hard’. Emma doesn’t argue with her. She does, however, think of words from Ecclesiastes. Read chapter 3, verses 1-8 from this book in the Old Testament. How do the words minister to your heart?
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 King James Version (KJV)
1To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
2 A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
3 A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break 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 cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
6 A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
7 A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
8 A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.
You know what? Life is hard. Even when it’s easy it’s hard. I know you are thinking that doesn’t make sense. I promise it does, to me. I’ve always been drawn to this passage in Ecclesiastes. It’s a gentle reminder that all of life is made up of times (or seasons). When things are hard it is something to rest on knowing that another season will come. Sometimes hard seasons follow each other and without a Greater Hope it is easy to get lost in wallowing. I’m in a season of loss. A time to die, a time to cry, and a time to mourn,. Some of those times all bundle together. Life is hard. However, even in my crying there is laughter. Even in my mourning, what am I thinking girl don’t dance. Even in death there is birth and life as the youngest Minion celebrates her 3rd birthday today. Every hard has a promise of a positive. Even when life is hard there is a promise of hope. I’ve always been drawn to this passage. Grandma had a plaque of this in her kitchen when I was growing up. I grew up reading this, yet not understanding it until I was older. In the dark you pray for the light. In the light you pray for the dark. To everything there is a season . . .
Your turn! How do the words of Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 speak to your heart? Share in the comments below.
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