Time, a Precious Gift

Ecclesiastes 3

1 To everything there is a season,
A time for every purpose under heaven:

2 A time to be born,
And a time to die;
A time to plant,
And a time to pluck what is planted;
3 A time to kill,
And a time to heal;
A time to break down,
And a time to build up;
4 A time to weep,
And a time to laugh;
A time to mourn,
And a time to dance;
5 A time to cast away stones,
And a time to gather stones;
A time to embrace,
And a time to refrain from embracing;
6 A time to gain,
And a time to lose;
A time to keep,
And a time to throw away;
7 A time to tear,
And a time to sew;
A time to keep silence,
And a time to speak;
8 A time to love,
And a time to hate;
A time of war,
And a time of peace.

How do you spend your time? Zsofi asked us today what was the most important hour of our day, and if we had managed over the last week to share an hour of our time with someone. The ladies shared some of the things they had done with people. The most important time was when we sat alone with our Father, reading His Word, meditating on His Word and talking with Him, but of course what we learn from Him through His Word, we should put into practice. We can waste a lot of time doing things that are of no use to us or anyone else, what we do on the internet, what we watch on television, what we read, all has an impact on us. The time we have is a gift. I am sure that if we gave a gift to someone, we wouldn’t like to see it misused, so why do we misuse our time?

Zsofi certainly challenged us to stop and think what we do with our time, is it used with God, for God, or our own amusement? We are told in scripture to build one another up in the faith, and to encourage one another, to help one another. What we do for God is for eternity, what we do for ourselves is but for a moment.

Learning, Growing, Working

Last week we had a nostalgia trip, we went back to our early years at school. For most of us they were not the best years of our lives, the teachers were strict disciplinarians. And if we ourselves didn’t get the cane, we remember someone who did. What was the point of all that learning? It was to equip us for live and work.

Jesus is often referred to as Teacher in the Scriptures, He taught the disciples, and He teaches us, for what purpose?

Luke 6:40

 A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher.

This week our nostalgia trip involved remembering places we had worked. There was a vast array of jobs; cleaners, florists, shop assistants, care assistants, some had worked with children, and some with the disabled, some had worked in factories. But all these jobs were important, we thought about how a heart surgeon cannot do his work unless the cleaner had done theirs.

Jesus did the work of the Father whilst He was on the earth. 

John 9:4

And we are to do the work He has given us where we are, nothing is too menial when it is done in service for the King and the kingdom.

Just as all through our natural life we continue learning, so it is in our Christian walk, we continue to learn, and grow. Scripture tells us to grow in grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus is the best Teacher we could ever have and so we are to be a teachable people, He teaches us to be like Him. And so we work for Him by serving His body, the church, to the honour and glory of God.

What is Your Worth?

How is worth measured? Many times, by wealth, people are often in awe at the “worth” of a rich man. Other times society measures worth by how good someone is, by their acts of kindness, their compassion, love and self-sacrifice. Or by the way they work, their dedication to work, and their work ethic, their loyalty to the job etc. We are bombarded by the media and the internet on how to measure “self-worth”. But how does God view our worth.

Paul said:

Philippians 3:8-11

But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith;  that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. 

We enacted a slave market at our meeting today, four of the ladies stood at the front while Major spoke of each person’s “worth”, when I pointed out that she needed to sell us, she replied, “Christ has already bought you!” And so, it is, that is where our worth lies, only in Jesus, and all He has done for us. We have nothing of merit or worth that could buy our forgiveness, buy our salvation, we cannot bribe God to turn His wrath away from us, and we cannot earn everlasting life. When we belong to Jesus, all our acts of kindness, compassion, love and self-sacrifice are because of Jesus. Everything we do in His name has eternal worth, and is for His honour and glory.

Working Together

The ladies had quite a challenge today, I gave each table a page out of a cookery magazine and asked them to cut it up and then pass it on to the next table the right way up. Some of the "jigsaws" were easy and could be done alone. Others needed a team effort and so all the ladies on the table helped. But on one table the pieces had been cut up in all kinds of shapes some quite small and proved to be difficult, so some of the ladies from different tables came to help.

If we belong to the family of God we will find that sometimes He asks us to do a task alone, other times we are to work together.

There are times also in our Christian walk when things are hard and difficult, these are the times that our brothers and sisters in Christ come along side us to help, encourage, or sympathise. Gods word tells us that we are to love the brethren, this love is an action. The ladies who helped the table with the hard jigsaw didn't wait to be asked, they saw the difficulty and went to help. When we see a need in the body of Christ we should be willing to respond and do all we can to help.

Drinkin' From My Saucer

I’ve never made a fortune

And it's prob’ly too late now;

But don’t worry ‘bout that much,

I’m happy anyhow!

And as I go along life’s way

Reapin’ better than I’ve sowed,

I’m drinkin’ from my saucer,

‘Cause my cup has overflowed!

Haven’t got a lot of riches,

And sometimes the going’s tough;

But I’ve got loving ones around me,

And that makes me rich enough!

I thank God for His blessings

And the mercies He’s bestowed

I’m drinkin’ from my saucer,

‘Cause my cup has overflowed!

I ‘member times when things went wrong,

My faith wore somewhat thin;

But all at once the dark clouds broke

And light peeped through again.

So, Lord, help me not to gripe

About the tough rows I’ve hoed.

I’m drinkin’ from my saucer,

‘Cause my cup has overflowed!

If God gives me strength and courage

When the way grows steep and rough,

I’ll not ask for other blessings;

I’m already blessed enough!

May I never be too busy

To help others bear their loads,

I’ll be drinkin’ from my saucer,

‘Cause my cup has overflowed!

Jimmy Dean

John 13:34-35

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.