04.15.11: Be Encouraged...There's A Time To Cast & Gather!

Most people (read = normal people) aren't as big of a "word nerd" as I am. In specific I thrive when I read something in the Bible and find myself unable to go to sleep till I get to the root of what a particular word or phrase means. I use to rely on the "cliff notes" found in my Study Bible and while they have many valid explanations, I find that utilizing an exhaustive concordance helps me measurably more. It focuses me more on what GOD said in the original Hebrew or Greek rather than what man thinks it says. The fact that I'm posting my thoughts on a public blog is ironic...I know. Whatever...


So it happened again...I read a well known passage and was curious as to why God would use some very specific wording. I laid my head down and said I was tired and would research it first thing in the morning. About 20 minutes later I got up because my mind wouldn't stop till I unraveled the mystery for myself. It was a great encouragement to me so I hope it will be that for you as well.

Ecclesiastes 3:1

I love that the Bible uses absolutes like in v. 1 - “To EVERYthing there IS a SEASON. A TIME for EVERY PURPOSE under Heaven”

Granted it took a while to get that song out of my head, but here's what I discovered. 

For all things of importance, there occurs a fix of time in which something will happen as long as necessary, as much as it is necessary and to the degree that it is necessary for the whole pleasure and purpose of furthering the Kingdom/creating Heaven on Earth.

So I counted and there are 28 (action words) wishes, desires, pleasures and requests of our Father in Heaven to us...at least that's the way I see it...BUT, verse 5 is what caught my eye!!

Time to cast away stones - cast: throw, fling, overthrow. Stones: that which is stored in, that which we are supposed to dead to, a place of extreme cold/dark, confining, fortified, established, manufactured.

God, through trials, will throw out, tear down, overthrow those walls. He will purge us of that which is bad - habits,  thinking patterns, the dark places in our heart and mind, that which hold us back or conforms us into a bad image (the world) which does not reflect God. He will get us to “unlearn” everything we think we know and begin us on a path that is of true knowledge.

Time to gather stones - gather: to collect, enfold (surround, hold, veil, drape so as to be apparent through). Stones: build, plumb line: used for finding the depth (that which is below  the surface, to the extent, intensity of emotion, the apparent existence, the complexity of, extensive detailed study or knowledge, the strength)  of water or determining the vertical on an upright surface

God is going to look below the surface - of me to find what is true and good and right. He will perfect me so that (He is not satisfied until ) my roots, knowledge, love of Him goes deep and runs true. He will give me trials to perfect my commitment and my love...and faith and things which are not seen yet (hoped for). 

It’s hard not to look at this list and see that each one has an opposite - an extreme if you will. It could almost appear as though God is presenting both so that your life would be a consistent yo-yo of seasons - IE war/peace. I think what God is saying is that there are opposites to 1. keep you consistent during both - keeping your eyes focused on Him allows extremes to come and go, but GOD will remain the same and He wants US to remain the same...at rest in Him &  2. they are opposites, which help you to appreciate the counterpart...to know/recognize the difference...to know what to love is and is not, to know what hate is and is not. To know when to weep and what for and know when to laugh and at what. 


I hope you are encouraged to dig into this passage of scripture even more to find out what other seasons that God has planned for us...it's pretty amazing!! Have a great weekend!