Ecclesiastes 3:1-22
God orders "the times" for all His creatures. He determined the date of our birth and the dates of all the happenings of our lives. Like the psalmist, the Christian can say with confidence, "Lord, my times are in thy hand" (Psalms 31:15). In all God does, "nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it" (v. 14). "He hath made everything beautiful in his time" (v. 11); creation was perfect as it came from the hands of God. But in spite of all the wonders which can still be seen in nature, it can no longer be admired today in its original freshness and splendour. Man has spoilt and defaced creation by his wickedness (v. 16); he has made it subject to vanity (Romans 8:20). Thorns and thistles remind us of the fall (Genesis 3:18). It has been said, "In the midst of the shipwreck caused by sin, man himself continues in existence only as a tragic wreck of his former blessed state." Finally v. 20 reminds us of the verdict in Genesis 3:19, "Dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return." The "time to die" comes to each one of us, often sooner than we think it will. Dear reader, if you are not yet saved, realise that there is also a time to be saved; that time is today.