Saturday Scripture Gold with Bibi: Seasons of Our Lives

When as a child I laughed and wept, time crept.
When as a youth I dreamed and talked, time walked.
When I became a full grown man, time ran.
And later, as I older grew, time flew.
Soon, I shall find while traveling on, time gone.  -Source Unknown

The book of Ecclesiastes points out that there is a time (or season) for everything . Let’s take a look at this scripture and examine the importance of what it’s saying about our lives. This week, our subject for discussion is ... “seasons of our lives."

Now, our purpose is three fold. It is...

1) To define what a season is and how it is significant to our lives.
2) To examine what happens when we miss a season in our lives .
3) To examine what happens when we get ahead of a season for our lives.

Just in case you'd like to refer to it, our foundational scripture is Ecclesiastes 3:1 - 4. (it refers to times, which are seasons) .it reads..”to everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up (harvest) that which is planted; “

Let’s look at seasons in nature to get a general idea of how seasons work.. in nature, things come forth, grow and fulfill their purpose and die. Notice that winter and spring are times of preparation. In the winter the ground gets very cold or freezes, which kills germs or bacteria that could be harmful to crops.

Plants that have died, during the previous season, decay and help replenish nourishment the soil. As the late winter and early spring comes, the soil is plowed and made ready, seeds are planted, nurtured and grow... then in summer and fall, crops mature and are harvested. The farmers then sell the crops for money, use the money to support their families, and enjoy the good things of life.

So, what is a season? For our purposes, a season in our life is a time frame that has been allotted for something to happen. 

Again let me point out that God has so arranged it that things here in the earth and in our lives operate in seasons. We can depend on this because He tells us so in Genesis 8:22. The scripture reads...”While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest (seasons) and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.”

This scripture also gives us a basic description of seasons. We can gather from this scripture that seasons are basically divided into two types... seasons of seedtime (preparation) and seasons of harvest (reaping from what has been sewn during the season of seed time).

From our example we also know that during a season, things around us are orchestrated in such a manner that our efforts are supported. Back to our example of the farmer.... his goal is to produce a large crop of something, sell it, and receive a lot of money for it.

We see that he cannot however; get to the money until he properly goes through the seasons required to produce a crop to harvest. Also , as he goes through each season, he must do the right things... (cultivate the soil , fertilize etc.) otherwise, he won’t successfully produce a crop that will bring him the money he desires.

So it is in our lives, as well. When we desire to be successful, we must observe the seasons that we are to go through and perform properly (do the right thing) as we pass through each. But...what happens when we miss a season? Basically, you don’t have the wind at your back, helping to blow you in the direction that you’re trying to go.

On the other side of the coin, what happens when we get ahead of a season of God in in life? If you’ll look at Genesis 15 -18 you’ll find the story of Abraham and Sarah. God promises, in spite of their old age, that Sarah will become pregnant and have a son. They were happy, but doubtful. So , they decided to get ahead of God - to get ahead of their season. Of course we know that Sarah gave Abraham her slave girl, who he impregnated with a son.

But then.... the true season of God came to pass and, Sarah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. Suddenly, there was jealously and friction between the two sons and the mothers. A struggle began that we see still today in the ugly conflict between Muslims, Jews, and the western world. So, when we get ahead of seasons of god in our lives, we can open ourselves and our lives to hurt and permanent damage.

In closing, let's revisit what we touched on this week...

1) We learned that seasons are time frames that are allotted for something to happen in our lives.
2) We learned that in order to take advantage of the benefits that a season has for us, we need to ask God to show us the right things to do during the season ; and then do them.
3) We learned that when we miss a season, or get ahead of a season in our lives, we run the risk of not ever being able to capture all the things that were meant for us to acquire during that season. And, we run the risk of sustaining personal hurt and damage to our lives that can’t be reversed.

Go ahead and enjoy the seasons of your life! But, always keep in mind, that a season in our lives is a time frame that has been allotted for something to happen. Let God show you what that "something" is.

Scripture: Daniel 2:21; Acts 1:7; Galatians 6:9; 1 Thessalonians 5:1; Hosea 10:12

Now, let's pray...

O Father, give us the humility which realizes its ignorance, admits its mistakes, recognizes its need, welcomes advice, accepts rebuke. Help us always to praise rather than to criticize, to sympathize rather than to discourage, to build rather than to destroy, and to think of people at their best rather than at their worst. This we ask for in thy name's sake. Amen

Until next time...

Have a blessed week!

Bibi