For everything there is a season and a time for every matter under heaven:

² a time to be born and a time to die; a time to plant and a time to pluck up 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 throw away stones and a time to gather stones together;
a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing;
⁶ a time to seek 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 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. (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8)

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and Jesus Christ the Lord and Savior. Amen.

A source of joy for many of us is the changing of seasons. We see the change of season all around the natural world. It reminds us of the constant cycle of life. We associate different activities with different seasons. It may currently be football, raking, volleyball, hunting, harvest, &/or a host of other ‘seasons,’ depending upon your preference (or your child(ren)’s or spouse’s preference).

The Church year has similar seasons. We mark the cycle of the life of the church on earth in our worship. Currently we are still in the ‘long, green season,’ also known as Pentecost. At the end of the church year, we begin the cycle again with Advent.

Our individual lives also have seasons. We mark milestones within those seasons as grow older. We naturally have different interests and priorities during different seasons. We associate different activities with different seasons. Sarah and Abraham notwithstanding, very few couples over eighty would be ecstatic about an unplanned pregnancy of their own – shocked, but probably not overjoyed. It is not an activity they were expecting in that particular season of their lives. By the same token, very few people in their mid-twenties would be excited to move into a retirement community.

Congregations, denominations, and the larger church also have seasons. Unfortunately, these seasons are most evident after the fact. In the meantime, we walk by faith. “For everything there is a season and a time for every matter under heaven.” Through every season, we trust that God is guiding us. God will be with us through this season and the next, just as our ancestors were led by God’s hand in seasons past.

“Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who has promised is faithful.” (Hebrews 10:23) These words to the Hebrews many seasons ago, continue to be relevant in our season. We hold fast to the One who is faithful. We trust in God’s promise – now and forever – in every season.