NOW IS THE TIME! Things are changing for the positive. COVID is losing. It’s time to come back to church! It’s time to look forward! It’s time to be cautious, patient, forgiving, helpful and understanding. It’s time. Not only is it time, but it is AN OPPORTUNE TIME! A time to let go of the things that have been holding us down and stepping up in faith. Though we need to be aware of all the times in our journey of life – I want to use Solomon’s words of wisdom in Ecclesiastes 3 to emphasis one of the two words we have been given in verses 2-8 from the Message!
It’s a time FOR BIRTH more than for death. A fresh beginning as we are born again in a new way at Summit. It’s a time TO PLANT more than to reap. The seeds need to be replanted and renourished – and the harvest will come as we get back together. It’s a time TO HEAL more than to kill. We’ve been fighting and battling and disagreeing enough – now the church heals one another. It’s a time TO CONSTRUCT rather than to destroy. COVID has destroyed enough – now we rebuild our fellowship with one another. It’s a time TO LAUGH more than to cry. My eyes are dry from the pain we’ve been through – now my tears will come from laughing so hard at good news. It’s a time TO CHEER rather than to lament. We cheer the good things our God has done and is bringing to us! It’s time TO MAKE LOVE rather than to abstain. We’ve avoided each other enough through this past year – let us return to each other displaying the greatest gift of all – LOVE! It’s time TO EMBRACE rather than to part. The gift of hugs and touch return as we begin to say “hello” much, much more! It’s time TO SEARCH rather than to count your losses. We have lost so much – but we know that God is putting new opportunities in front of us – let us find them and use them! It’s time TO HOLD ON more than to let go. Hold onto your faith and don’t ever give up on the Lord – especially in the difficult times. It’s time TO MEND rather than to rip out. Now that we are moving forward, we need to mend our brokenness! It’s time TO SHUT UP more than to speak-up! I know, that sounds strange – but even though we’ve been apart, now is the time to open our ears way more than open our mouths! Be a good listener now that we are coming back together! It’s time TO LOVE rather than to hate. Sure, there are situations and circumstances to hate, but love needs to grow and grow. The way people know we belong to Jesus as we come back together is by our love for one another. And finally, it’s time TO MAKE PEACE rather than wage war. We have our battle scars that we’ve received throughout the pandemic – but now is the time to come into the Lord’s house and let Jesus fill us with his ‘peace that passes all human understanding’.
There is a time for everything. Following these words, Solomon reminds us that there is a time to ‘get the most we can out of life’. God’s the one in control, and I think as we head into the summer, God is telling us IT’S THE RIGHT TIME! We’ve been through the times of crying and counting our losses and death itself – but NOW IS THE TIME TO MOVE FORWARD IN A POSITIVE WAY. It still will be slow. We still need to be patient. We still need to be cautious. YET, WE NEED TO SEE THE LIGHT THROUGH THE DARKNESS and head in its direction. The light is Jesus. IT DEFINITELY IS TIME!
See you in church – REALLY!
In Jesus’ Love – Pastor Dan
