Tag: Cycles

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Seasons just make sense.

Reading Time: 3 minutes

”For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven. A time to be born and a time to die. A time to plant and a time to harvest. A time to kill and a time to heal. A time to tear down and a time to build up. A time to cry and a time to laugh. A time to grieve and a time to dance. A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones. A time to embrace and a time to turn away. A time to search and a time to quit searching. A time to keep and a time to throw away. A time to tear and a time to mend. A time to be quiet and a time to speak. A time to love and a time to hate. A time for war and a time for peace. ‭‭Ecclesiastes‬ ‭3‬:‭1‬-‭8‬ ‭NLT‬‬

By chapter three of Solomon’s “life experiment,” we begin to see some real insight and the wisdom of God begin to kick back into place. The general idea of chapter three is so obvious, but because of our human brain, it is also painfully and often ignored!

The heading: A Time for Everything.

It’s like our lives often feel like they are left in a spin cycle of teenage angst. We forget that nothing we experience here in life lasts forever. Sure, Murphy and his odd law of continued failure and doom may be the exception, Edward A. Murphy Jr. said, “Anything that can go wrong will go wrong.” History, however, proves that impossible. Things do go wrong, but things also go right plenty of times. But even Murphy, as an American aerospace engineer, would agree, those calamities led to new creative possibilities.

Solomon walks us through the highs and lows of being human. He calls them seasons. If you live in normal parts of the United States, you get four distinct seasons. California only two seasons, summer and not summer. Our lives come with their own God-given seasons each year. Just reading the seasons listed here in chapter three makes me feel more normal. When a teen goes through their first love, followed by their first heartbreak, it’s painful wisdom to let them know that life is not over when that person breaks up with them. In terms of these seasons, these life episodes, they don’t last forever.

Grief, pain and extended suffering tend to last the longest, but even these do not triumph over the human spirit and will to rise up even in the midst of dark situations and surroundings. The sun will set today but will return tomorrow morning. What I love about chapter three is one of Solomon’s most powerful thoughts. It needs to be life-long meme – ”Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end,”(Ecclesiastes‬ ‭3‬:‭11‬).

Even in the seasonal downturns, if we really think about it, can be beautiful in their own way. Did you know that even our tears are different under various emotional states? Emotional or “psychic” tears have more protein-based hormones. Yet, even the molecular structure of emotional tears are different. Tears of joy look different from tears of sadness! The body doesn’t lie.

God is the one who not only brings comfort in tumultuous times, He can bring an odd, even euphoric PEACE. It might not make sense, but it’s very real. I have spoken with folks who have lived a very hard, very tragic life, yet never show it in their words or behaviors. I feel sorry for them, yet they encourage me. I guarantee you, they are not faking these calm, sturdy, hope-filled moments. God has gifted them with a delightful presence of peace that surpasses our comprehension. It’s an encouragement to remember – in God’s economy, His Kingdom here, yet coming, He makes all things beautiful in His time.

Prayer

​Dad,
Now that I have taken a few trips around the sun, experiencing the lowest of lows in chaos, loss and grief as well as the highest of highs in love, gain and wonder, I completely agree with Solomon’s perspective. You become more extravagantly beautiful through the lens of joys and sorrows. And through all of the seasons of life thus far, I am humbly grateful to live seeing the fulfillment of every promise you’ve made. Great is your faithfulness! Amen.

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NOT like DAD.

Reading Time: 3 minutes

As Samuel grew old, he appointed his sons to be judges over Israel. Joel and Abijah, his oldest sons, held court in Beersheba. But they were not like their father, for they were greedy for money. They accepted bribes and perverted justice. Finally, all the elders of Israel met at Ramah to discuss the matter with Samuel. “Look,” they told him, “you are now old, and your sons are not like you. Give us a king to judge us like all the other nations have.” Samuel was displeased with their request and went to the Lord for guidance. “Do everything they say to you,” the Lord replied, “for they are rejecting me, not you. They don’t want me to be their king any longer. ‭‭1 Samuel‬ ‭8‬:‭1‬-‭7‬ ‭NLT‬‬

How many times have we heard, “You’re just like your Father!” Or, conversely, you’re nothing like your Dad!” Such is the cyclical, mystical dilemma of life as a father and as a son. As you know Samuel’s origin story was not just unusual it was pretty rough. His mom Hannah, has him later in life, and he’s a miracle child! But Hannah told God “IF!” If you give me a son…I will give him back to you. Thanks mom! God did and Hannah kept her promise. But what a tragic twist of events. Samuel is raised by an old, worn-out priest, Eli whose sons were the worst PK’s in the history of the Church!!! Hophni and Phinehas were evil, foolish THUGS. So what kind of father was Samuel? Would he be like his bio-dad, Elkanah? Or, would he be like his foster dad, Eli? We don’t know! Samuel, as a man, a judge and a priest, did a phenomenal job. But as father…how should we judge his parenting? The Bible doesn’t even mention Samuel’s wife, the mother of his two sons. And, the only facts recorded about Eli’s boys is this – they were greedy, accepted bribes and perverted justice! What? This is what the PK’s (priest’s kids) are known for?

The elders met and gave Samuel the what for, “you’re old and your sons are NOT like you! Then, out of nowhere – no context whatsoever, they say, “Give us a king!” Fill in the blanks, if you wish, but they seem to be d-o-n-e with the good judge, bad judge cycle of judges. If God had not told us the reasoning behind their desire for a king, we would have no idea what was going on in their heads. In 8:7-8,“for they are rejecting me, not you. They don’t want me to be their king any longer.”

You see, God not only looks deep into the human heart, God sees the past, present and future in the always NOW! God mentions a sore spot in his disappointment with the people of Israel – “Ever since I brought them from Egypt they have continually abandoned me and followed other gods. And now they are giving you the same treatment.” Wow, He’s the God of perfect memory and recall as well as crystal clear clarity of the future! Give them a king, God says to Samuel. But warn them first.

What gives? Samuel’s boys were certainly awful judges, why was God not happy about the elders asking for someone different ? Because God knows what’s really in our hearts! In God’s own timing, he could have dealt with Joel and Abijah. They could be replaced, but the elders had no patience to wait for a “God solution,” because they had their short-viewed solution.

They wanted to be like all the other nations around them. Saying, “we don’t want to be unique, we don’t want to have God lead us or choose for us. We want a king?” Ouch. The cycle of kings lasted several hundred years and what were the results? Well, there was a lot of drama and great stories of victory and tragedy- that’s true. However, the whole “king” experience landed the people of God in captivity in Babylon. Experiment was over. No more kings for Israel.

It is frustratingly comforting that bad Dads can end up having great sons AND good Dads can end up having not so great sons. It’s one thing to read about these cycles, it’s a completely different thing to experience it in your life. Especially when you’re past the age of being able to do much about it.

Prayer

​Dad,
This whole thing of coming from a chaotic family background and being hopeful about breaking cycles has been challenging. But then also to give my own children a good foundation to launch their lives from has been interesting to watch. There is an undeniable truth at play. One, as a child growing up, I didn’t really know anything was off until I compared to other friend’s families. But also two, my own children had no idea of my past compared to their own experiences. Everything seems “normal” until we have something to compare it to. I know what my life was like, and because you’ve changed my life in so many areas, no one would really understand. I am so thankful to be your son because of Jesus. I am also very thankful to be a Dad!

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The gift of God’s liberator.

Reading Time: 3 minutes

I, the Lord, have called you to demonstrate my righteousness. I will take you by the hand and guard you, and I will give you to my people, Israel, as a symbol of my covenant with them. And you will be a light to guide the nations. You will open the eyes of the blind. You will free the captives from prison, releasing those who sit in dark dungeons. ‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭42‬:‭6‬-‭7‬ ‭NLT‬‬

The Story of God has always been about making promises and His ability to keep them. From the very beginning, God promised that He would personally repair and restore the breach that humans made and He has consistently done that ever since creation began.

Isaiah is filled with future-casting the Messiah, the savior, the liberator for humankind. These particular prophetic-promises come into view at two very popular holiday seasons: Christmas and Easter, winter and spring. This spring, 2024, our world is experiencing enormous chaos. We have a two global conflicts or wars simultaneously happening. One in the Ukraine, the other in Israel. Russia, wanting to reclaim Ukraine, invaded the country in February, 2022 and it continues on today. Hamas, a terrorist organization, invaded Israel in October 2023 and it also continues on today. Plus, the always struggling nation of Haiti has recently been taken over by Haitian Gangs, who closed the entire country! On top of all that, the U.S. is heading towards yet another highly divided presidential election in just a few months and we are still trying to climb out of the effects of the 2020 pandemic. Nothing is the same and no one has any idea what the future holds for our world in crisis.

Celebrating Resurrection Sunday this year in the United States, means doing so with a massive exodus of those who have left the Church because of “church hurts,” or “deconstruction” of their faith. God knew there would be cycles of darkness and deep disturbances in human affairs. When the promise of the Messiah arrived at the turn of the calendar from B.C. (Before Christ) to A.D. (Anno Domini), it was very tumultuous. And, by the time Jesus became of age to officially become a Rabbi in the Jewish faith, Rome had bullied their way into what the citizens considered to be peace (Pax Romana).

The cost for peace was enormous and the social, religious experiment of a pan-theistic belief system was constantly on the brink of revolt. The Jews were itching for a champion, a warrior like King David to reclaim their country and God-given right to their own land and way of life. Even the early church, completely believed in Jesus’ resurrection, but persecution and mayhem was so horrific they also believed He was returning soon!

Our world has gone through many cycles of desperate despair to the exhilaration of hope that the end has come! We are in another cycle right now! Yet, with each plunge into apparent chaos, there is simultaneously a search for God, for meaning, even for eternity. That time is now! The story of God’s liberation and promise-keeping ability gives us hope. We may all be in a perpetual, even cyclical Good Friday, but God always has a glorious resurrection Sunday coming. Behold God comes… always… to make all things new!

Prayer

Dad.
Our lives may be filled with trauma-troughs, ruts and pits of pain, sin and suffering, but even then You are with us. And, in each and every dark moment, or sunless season, you bring peace and comfort to our hearts. Thou art with me! Even in those down-cycles of fear and the unknown, you can lift me out of the depressions of what is seen all around me to the vistas of your view, your perspective and your plans. Thank you God, for you are my refuge and my hope.

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Doomed cycles of repetition.

Reading Time: 2 minutes 
“She defiled herself with immorality and gave no thought to her future. Now she lies in the gutter with no one to lift her out. “Lord, see my misery,” she cries. “The enemy has triumphed.” Lamentations‬ ‭1:9‬ ‭NLT‬‬

​We need mercy to escape the doomed cycles of repetition.

Poetic reality sets in on the people of Israel, personified in the city of Jerusalem. The city is the people, the people the city. There is a healthy recognition in deep grief. Their sin, our sin, will ALWAYS catch up to us. As humans, we have this unique ability to think we can do the deed and just keep running from the consequences! Jeremiah writes this incredible analogy; “He wove my sins into ropes to hitch me to a yoke of captivity.” And, I must never forget, captivity was true love and justice in action. Babylon was a decisive, punishment of discipline, not destruction.

From the dizzy heights of Solomon’s success, his global reach of riches and power, to the depths of being dragged off to another country and watching all of what Israel had become in the city of Jerusalem raided and burned to the ground. The warnings ignored. The threats thought impossible. Now the people must face reality. But did Babylon do it’s job? Did it work? Did it fix their sin problem? Did they repent and turn from their sin and deep cycles of immortality? Temporarily, yes. Permanently, no.

Even with the most massive lesson in all of history, the rise and fall of God’s own people and the picture of the city of God – the rehabilitation and transformation was only temporary. The permanent solution, our permanent resolve would not be found in these cycles of sin, repentance, mourning and change. It would only be found in the work of Christ, God’s own son.

Without God’s own solution to our selfish cycles of sin to confession and back again, we would be forever trapped in generational repetition. Jeremiah records these horrible moments to ultimately point to hopelessness with out Christ.

The city of Jerusalem, the people of God would never be the same and will never be the same until the final days of revelation that Jesus is the messiah. These writings are meant to be a reminder of our morbid morality and the power and mercy of God to redeem us even while we are caught in mid-cycle of sin!

Prayer

Dad,
Looking into the perfect mirror of your word and seeing a clear reflection of who and what I am, even in my best effort, is so depressing. These words are not ancient, they are transcendent and eternal! These glimpses of humanity only remind and reinforce what I already know – I am a selfish sinner saved only by grace and has nothing to do with my poor attempts to perfection. I rest, not on my promises to never sin again, but only on your Word, your promise to clean me, restore me from all unrighteousness. In that and that alone do I find solace, peace and most of all HOPE.