| Our verse to DATE the Word on March 6 (3/6) is Ecclesiastes 3:6 |
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| Ecclesiastes 3:6 says, “A time to gain, And a time to lose; A time to keep, And a time to throw away;” |
| Actions that bring about IMPROVEMENT As one comes to Ecclesiastes 3 one reads, “To everything, there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven.” Following this profound statement comes a list of things that we have happening in our lives yet are opposites. Such as in verse 2 we read, “A time to be born, and a time to die; A time to plant, And a time to pluck what is planted;” One can easily see the opposites in this verse. In verse 4 we read of a time to WEEP and a time to LAUGH. There will be times of MOURNING and there will be times of DANCING. While opposite, each is a part of our life and each has a purpose. Eccl. 3:6 gives us the opposites of gaining as opposed to losing and losing as opposed to gaining, and of keeping as opposed to throwing away and throwing away as opposed to keeping. This verse helps us to keep perspective, to keep balanced, and to do things that bring about improvement in a person’s life. One way of looking at this verse in totality is to understand to bring improvement to our life, there will be times we need to be gathering while at other times there will be times we need to get rid of stuff. Drilling down on the verse let us ask a few questions. What are the things you need to be gaining? For some, this verse speaks to you about gaining an education. There is a time to be in class and working toward getting a certain degree. Education is a great door opener. For some people who find themselves unemployed, the reason may very well be they are unemployable. At some point, a price was not paid to GAIN the education needed for employment. Having been very involved in education for the vast majority of my life I have stressed there is a time to GAIN an education. This is but one example of a time to gain. What are things you need to be losing? There are things we need to LOSE. For instance, one may need to lose a bad attitude. One may need to lose a grip on greed. One may need to lose selfishness. One may need to lose the weight of sin. (Hebrews 12:1) What are the things you need to be keeping? The idea of keeping here is to hold tight. I would suggest that one will want to hold tight to family and to friends. Hold tight to relationships! It is so easy to handle what is so important carelessly. What are the things you need to be throwing away? As it is March and we are moving toward spring we know it is important to have what is called Spring cleaning. Well, maybe you need some spring cleaning with your mind and your heart. Maybe your heart is falling in love with something that is seeking to replace your love for the Lord. We would call that an idol and it needs to be thrown away. Acting on Ecclesiastes 3:6 means what for you? I suggest answering the following four questions. What decisions do you need to make to BRING something INTO your life as it is a time to GAIN? What decisions do you need to make to GET OUT of your life as it is a time to LOSE? What decisions do you need to make to ensure you are HOLDING TIGHT to what is most valuable? What decision do you need to make to REMOVE from your life what does not belong? Verse to DATE the Word on March 6 (3/6) is Ecclesiastes 3:6. It says, “A time to gain, And a time to lose; A time to keep, And a time to throw away;“ The season of life will include seasons of improvement. You improve by gaining and you improve by losing. You improve by keeping and you improve by throwing away. Continue Strong improving! And remember to DATE THE WORD PS – Don’t forget that you LOSE an hour of sleep this Saturday/Sunday morning as we SPRING FORWARD. |