Scriptural Reference:

3 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 cast 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 cast 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 for war, and a time for peace.
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 ESV

He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority.
Acts 1:7 ESV

"While the earth remains, seed time and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease.”
Genesis 8:22 ESV

“And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and the waves, people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world. For the powers of the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
Luke 21:25-27 ESV

Reflection:
In this fast paced World we live in, we are constantly challenged to keep pace. And to do so, we have a wide range of books and manuals that will tell us the best way to get the most out of each and every second of our day. To do otherwise is to waste time and be left behind.

Yet in the past life seemed more steady and less rushed. Time was based on the Seasons and the natural flow of life around us. We knew when to plant and when to reap. We knew when to expect the birth of a child and the time of a loved ones death. It was a simpler World in which we were more closely in tune with creation.

So in this World we live we find time is a commodity. Things are either quicker, faster and seemingly instantaneous. Or it is considered obsolete and of little use. We have seen such best seller books as the One Minute Millionaire. Followed by the next book on How to Beat the One Minute Millionaire. Food is created in a quick and efficient manner. Yes it would seem we are now struggling to fight Time. To take control of the Seasons.

Yet in the end aren't we fooling ourselves. For every advance comes with a significant cost. We live with a Super Highway of Internet Connectivity. Yet our Society is broken and dysfunctional. We have food that is produced to be cheaper, easier to cook and eat. Yet the level of world health continues to fall while the level of obesity continues to climb.

God created the Earth with an amazing range of rules, regulations and balances. When we start trying to break out of this is when we will find ourselves in dire situations. WE need to return to the source of creation. We need to remember that time as we understand it is a construct of our imaginations. Created to help us come to terms with the way things change and evolve around us. God in his magnificence works outside this to bring about his great design.

One other aspect of this construct of Time that has also been a fascination of Christians has been to keep asking when God will bring about the conclusion of his great design. When the final days and judgement will take place. Perhaps to keep asking this is to discover how afraid we are of the future. How weak we are in our trust that God will see us through. Perhaps in this questions lays the deeper feeling and desire to avoid conflict and run away. But we are not called to a perfect life here on Earth. We are called to be Witnesses to the World for the Saving Grace of God thorough his Son Jesus.

This is why Jesus explains to his Disciples and Followers that nobody knows the day or time when God has chosen to Finish his design for creation (Acts 1:7). Not even the Son knows this. We can look back into the Old Testament for a further confirmation of this (Genesis 8:22). Where as the World will continue so will the Seasons.

Let us not be distressed with the idea that God nor Jesus would give us some idea of things to come. It is not as if we were given some good advice and then left on our own. Firstly we have the Holy Spirit as both Comfort and Guide in these difficult times. Then we have a wealth of instructions throughout the Old and New Testaments. As well as the prophesies to guide us (Luke 21:25-27).

We now live in a World of Time and Challenges. There's very little we can do to change many things in this World so fixated on Time Management. Though we could move from the city to the rural or country areas and re-establish a life of simplistic flow. The chances for this to happen are dwindling. The resources to do so are becoming more difficult to achieve.

What we can do is to create Sacred Moments or Spirit Filled Spaces. When we stop rushing to meet our hectic schedules and sit down to study the Bible and Pray. These two are essential for a balanced Spirit filled life. As well as a healthy understanding of where our Salvation comes from and what is to come in the future for us. When was the last time (yes there's that difficult word once again) to sit in quiet contemplation?

Prayer:
Lord, I take time to,

Seek you in my life,
Study your Word,
Learn more about you,
And grow in your Grace.

Please still my troubled heart,
Bring peace to my thoughts,
Enrich my heart with joy,
And teach me to trust in you.

Amen