Ecclesiastes 3

A Time for Everything

1 There is a time for everything,

and a season for every activity under heaven:

2 a time to be born and a time to die,

a time to plant and a time to uproot,

3 a time to kill and a time to heal,

a time to tear down and a time to build,

4 a time to weep and a time to laugh,

a time to mourn and a time to dance,

5 a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,

a time to embrace and a time to refrain,

6 a time to search and a time to give up,

a time to keep and a time to throw away,

7 a time to tear and a time to mend,

a time to be silent and a time to speak,

8 a time to love and a time to hate,

a time for war and a time for peace.

I never fully understood this familiar passage until this year. My son, my only child left for college in August. We have always been close, he has always been-here- now he is away. He has told me I can be strict- controlling and I never realized how much of that was true - until he went away - and I lost control- both mentally and physically.

I'm not sure which is more painful- having wanted children and being unable to have them - or having raised them and having to let go The fall was a time for mourning for me- until I put my faith in God.

My son has changed, he is on his way to becoming an adult (although I wish he would take a took at line 6!) I have had to refrain, give up and be silent. I lost my “control” over him so I had to trust in God to protect him.

Mary certainly felt my pain- letting her son go. She watched him grow and become a man when he left her to lead many to God’s path of mercy and grace. I'm sure she wept when her son left and even more when he was tormented for his teaching and finally put to his death- even through it all she trusted in the Lord to watch over her son and protect him and even with his death trusted that God would raise him up again. Though she mourned for a time, she also was able to dance afterwards.

With Ash Wednesday begins our time to mourn. For forty days we will share joys and watch as Jesus grows and we have the chance to mourn his death for our sins. And on Easter Morning - we will dance!

Lord be with us this Lent to reflect on our inability to fully trust in you- help us to grow spiritually so we can enjoy the dance on Easter Morning.

Amen.

Denise Clayton