* Article was published in the August edition of The Herald; a monthly publication of Green Hill Baptist Church
“…He has made everything appropriate in its time.”
Ecclesiastes 3:11
NASB
The Lord reminds us, through the pen of Solomon, “there is an appointed time for everything;
and a time for every event under heaven.” Time waits for no one. We can’t
slow it down let alone stop it. I was talking with someone the other day and
they were telling me a story from their childhood. When they finished telling
the story, they looked off into the distance and said, “You know, that was over
60 years ago!” Every tick of the second hand reminds us of time that is
ever-passing; time that we can never regain on this earth. I believe Solomon
came to realize just how precious time is and how we should be good stewards of
it, making the most of every minute and counting it as a gift and blessing from
God.
I am grateful for the time God has given me on the planet.
God reminds me of the precious gift of time with every funeral I preach and
family I console. Time is indeed a gift and I pray that I would never squander
it or take it for granted, but instead, spend it in a way that will glorify the
Lord and build His kingdom. Friends, that’s essentially why God put us on the
planet. That is also why He has established His church and has given us time to
spread His gospel and labor in His harvest fields. There is only so much time;
time to be spent wisely doing His work and accomplishing His will. There’s
simply no time to waste or no time to wait. Based on the evidence we find in
Scripture, I believe Solomon lived out the remainder of his days with urgency
and purpose. I believe he allowed God to bring about some significant changes
in his heart and life; changes that would not only impact his life, but the
lives of those around him.
Church, as we close out summer and move into fall, let’s
make the most of the time God has given to us. Let’s work together to do His
work and accomplish His will. Let’s understand that as we serve Him faithfully
as a child of God – whether as a parent, Sunday School teacher, deacon, pastor,
student, etc. – we not only allow God to change us, but we allow Him to use us
to impact the lives of those around us. There is much kingdom work to be done
and we only have a certain amount of time with which to accomplish it. Therefore,
as Jesus told the disciples in John 9 in the story of the man born blind, “We
must work the works of Him who sent Me as long as it is day; night is coming
when no one can work.” I love you and am so blessed to be able to serve as your
pastor.
Serving Together,
Pastor Brett
