Only Time Will Tell

Ecclesiastes 3:11 (AMP) He has made everything beautiful and appropriate in its time. He has also planted eternity [a sense of divine purpose] in the human heart [a mysterious longing which nothing under the sun can satisfy, except God]—yet man cannot find out (comprehend, grasp) what God has done (His overall plan) from the beginning to the end.

There is a season (a time appointed) for everything and a time for every delight and event or purpose under heaven—(Ecclesiastes 3:1) I have finally lived long enough to experience all of the times and seasons listed in Ecclesiastes 3:2-8. Life is always full of change. Though one longs for change, its unexpected arrival is unsettling. The transition of transformation is arduous and hard. Maybe that is why life is hard – to break off the ridge pieces and soften our hard and callous hearts. To make us pliable and moldable in the Hands of God as He creates the beautiful masterpiece promised in Ephesians 2:10. All the pieces of brokenness used to for His Good and Glory just as prescribed in Romans 8:28. These are not empty words but the Truth that change our life from ordinary to extraordinary. When faith produces endurance which turns to trust and trust becomes confident hope. Every season in our life has purpose and meaning. God has prerecorded the moments of our life intentionally and precisely like a roadmap to success. (Psalm 139:14-16) I was made for this. The plan and purpose of my life was for peace and wellbeing with a future and hope clearly defined as my destiny. (Jeremiah 29:11) All of this given to those who desire completeness in Christ enough to make Him Savior and Lord. (Ephesians 1:23) We have been given every spiritual blessing. (Ephesians 1:3)

A pastor in church was describing the condition of the church of Ephesus during his sermon yesterday. He shared that they had it all… all the tools necessary to grow and prosper but didn’t know how to use them properly. I wonder is also the story of the modern day church. Having it all – we just don’t know how to use it to overcome ourselves and step fully into Christ. Our past is filled with reasons why not. Today is crowded with worries, cares and anxiety about things that don’t really matter. Our future defined by them both to be nothing spectacular when God says otherwise. We just don’t believe Him enough to step out of our past (filled with excuses), move past the distractions, and step into our destiny. The ideology of church must be exchange for the Deity of God. The Father, Son and Spirit are fully capable of completely and confidently changing your life and mind from mundane to the miraculous.

There is a stirring deep within my heart for more. Not a spirit of unthankfulness but of abundance. I feel the need to sacrifice and serve but not from my flesh anymore but completely immerse myself in the Will of God. It is a scary place. For years, I thought I was all in but rather standing precariously on the edge. I have fought the good fight of faith…winning barely by the skin of my teeth. I want more faith. But now I know the cost…it is high. It requires absolute trust and total confidence in Jesus to protect all that is precious to me as warrior for His Kingdom. I asked for more faith. I wanted this thing called trust to grow in my life. Be careful what you pray for because when it aligns with God’s Heart. His Word. His Mind. You will absolutely get it. Consider the cost of going all in because once you are drowning in His Grace – it will become your wholehearted mission to see His Face. Like Jacob and Paul, you may come away with a handicap or nagging thorn in your flesh. It is in our weakness that His Power is sought after not because God desires it to be so but because in a place called Eden – we decided so. Don’t blame it just on Adam and Eve. You and I have a choice each day to choose life or death, blessing or cursing, sin or obedience. Hits where it hurts huh… I am feeling it, too.

He has made everything beautiful and appropriate in its time.

Timing is everything with God. Life according to His Plan doesn’t change because I am unsettled. But rather the Lord comes to settle things with His People once and for all. (Isaiah 1:18) It is important to note that our nature is to settle for things daily as a means of survival. God’s Plan is to settle the matter of sin once and for all so that His People will reach eternity. To give our life away to Jesus rather than indulging in a meaningless and pointless existence driven by whim and emotions. An intentional life that leads to fulfillment and complete satisfaction. You are not there yet if discontentment plagues your soul. If your circular thought is I should be thankful but I am still longing. It’s not settled yet.

He has also planted eternity [a sense of divine purpose] in the human heart [a mysterious longing which nothing under the sun can satisfy, except God]

You have not arrived and neither have I. The first church service that doesn’t apply to you where the Word of God is shared and His Spirit heavy in the room – is a call to the altar. The more I sow into eternity the greater my need for grace. As I edge closer to Jesus, the Light of His Love illuminates the darkness and staleness hidden in my fickle heart. There is always more of me to give and you, too. Fear of what people might think keeps us following the crowd which only produces hollowness and emptiness. There is the taskmaster of tradition. It comes masked as religion. It is much easier to pick apart the Bible and build a mask that gains us entrance to the façade of holiness that is really a pious gesture. Church, it’s time to remove our covering and live unveiled lives to allow God’s Transforming Power to produce the purpose that we long for. We want all of God but refuse to give Him all of us to work with choosing a beautiful mosaic with no substance or truth. You will never be satisfied until eternity becomes your purpose and the Lord in full possession of your heart.

Yet man cannot find out (comprehend, grasp) what God has done (His overall plan) from the beginning to the end.

Life with God is not always an epiphany. He speaks to us. Directly to us. Yes, He uses pastors, teachers and podcasts. But the God of the Universe, Creator of All and Your Heavenly Father wants to talk directly to you – His Beloved. Mountaintops allow us to breathe in His Spirit and refresh our soul. Faith and trust are sown in the valleys of life when God is completely invisible and seems silent. Why? Because though no one can find out, comprehend or fully grasp what God has done from beginning to end or what He is doing in this very moment – God is always working. He is always moving. He is always pursuing you. He goes before you. He lives in you. He is behind you. This is why human senses and emotions are detrimental to us. We must learn to walk by faith and not by sight. (2 Corinthians 5:7) Cue in the Andy Griffith theme song with Andy and Opie whistling their way to the fishing hole – this is not at all what this passage reflects. It is often edging, groping or crawling out to the edge of faith hoping not to fall only to realize falling is inevitable for our hope to be secure. Trust is in the fall my friend. The end of self to fully surrender our life to the Lord including every single minute. It is an all in event. Are you all in today? Why not?

We must ask the Lord to help our unbelief. It takes the impossible to see a miracle. What seems impossible in your life? Do you need a miracle? Maybe just a sign from God? Am I going in the right direction? Are you there, Lord? I assure you that God is with you! He will never leave you or forsake you. He is waiting patiently and lovingly for you to seek Him. He responds to the softest whisper of a sincere heart. You have a purpose today that only you can fulfill – it is up to you only to want it enough to seek it. You will find it when you seek the Lord wholeheartedly according to Jeremiah 29:13. After reading Jeremiah 29:11 for years, I finally continued reading at it finally made sense. You cannot find a purpose and plan that will satisfy your soul without consulting with its Creator. The One who devised the whole thing including every messy and broken part. Life happens. Surely in the course of life, you will experience every single thing noted in Ecclesiastes 3:2-9. No one is exempt. But only those who decide to give their whole heart to the Lord will see the beauty of His Creativeness when He makes them into a masterpiece. Christ died and rose again handing you the Keys to the Kingdom. Use them. We have everything needed to live a rich and satisfying life. It is found not in this world but our pursuit of His Kingdom. Only those who choose surrender will reap its great reward. It is something that satisfies our soul first. It brings the peace that passes understanding. It is overwhelming and intoxicating. A love story like never before. We are all destined to have it but few will pay the price to find it. What about you?

3 John 1:2 (NKJV) Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.