Ecclesiastes 3
1To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
2A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
3A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
4A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
5A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
6A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
7A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
8A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.
9What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboureth?
10I have seen the travail, which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised in it.
11He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.
12I know that there is no good in them, but for a man to rejoice, and to do good in his life.
Sometimes as I sit back and look at all the times I have failed God, I can wonder how He has loved me with such unending love. I have grumbled at times, much like the children of Israel who could not see how wonderfully He had cared for them. Or those moments in my pride when I thought that I was doing so much for Him that surely He would notice. How often have I looked at a loving Christian couple and cried because that was not what God chose for me? Sometimes I become so judgmental that I fail to see how my actions or words might hurt someone else. I know that many times these occur when I am so driven by fatigue or loneliness or a desperate desire to be more than I am that I might be loved. It is in those moments that I feel to be such a phony. How can I proclaim His truth to the world when I fail so miserably at times. Yet, He did choose me and He loved me with an undying love that so overwhelms me. How has it been that I sometimes doubt His future grace toward me. How could I? He who gave His very son to die for me, would He not give me everything? He coaxes me along the way, sometimes bringing sorrows just enough to rip away at that self sufficient, prideful spirit so that I may search ever harder after Him. My strength can only be born out of my utter weakness- for this fragile heart can only trust in His promise to complete in me that work which He began. One day I will stand before Him, complete and whole with no more fatigue, illness, or lack faith left within me and He with all His Glory will say “Welcome home child, I have been preparing your home and I have been preparing you to see it’s majesty” I wish to say I am sorry to anyone of you whom I may have inadvertently hurt by words said or actions taken out of ignorance. Each day, I must take the time to lay my self at His cross, then put up His Joy, His Peace, His Hope and then go forth into the world. Because He is Joy and Peace and Hope eternal. I want His light to shine through me, so polish me Lord of every blemish that hides your reflection or that dims your light.
Fine Crystal reflects the light far greater than does regular glass. It has much greater "sparkle" by increasing specular reflection and the range of angles of total internal reflection. Yet Crystal is formed by heating the glass to a molten stage and adding lead oxide. This is very much what must do to each of us. He has to burn away all the chafe and heat us to that melting point that He might fill us with His strength and His Character such that the internal reflection of the Holy Spirit might have specular reflection through our lives. May I Lord become like crystal for you?
Kathy Troccoli expressed this same desire in this beautiful song. I first heard this song one day when I was seeking a answer from God and as it played, I said, Oh that was my song for that moment and time.
Love, Effie Darlene Barba