we are all guilty of being on this great journey called life. it's a relatively short journey; relative, that is, to the length of history, or indeed time itself. we are in constant need of fulfilling points on our journey, of getting places, seeing things, meeting people.
some two thousand years ago, some philosophers from further east in Asia are reported to have journeyed to a place in israel (then judea) called bethlehem, to meet what they called "the newborn king." all they had to guide them on this journey was a star, which they followed tirelessly over many miles, in order to get to the place where their journey ended.
we all have long journeys to accomplish. we never know when along that journey god is going to speak to us or, more importantly, speak through us. but there is one thing for sure: if we never step out that door, we'll never know if we were needed and when.
"There's an opportune time to do things, a right time for everything on the earth:
A right time for birth and another for death,
A right time to plant and another to reap,
A right time to kill and another to heal,
A right time to destroy and another to construct,
A right time to cry and another to laugh,
A right time to lament and another to cheer,
A right time to make love and another to abstain,
A right time to embrace and another to part,
A right time to search and another to count your losses,
A right time to hold on and another to let go,
A right time to rip out and another to mend,
A right time to shut up and another to speak up,
A right time to love and another to hate,
A right time to wage war and another to make peace.
But in the end, does it really make a difference what anyone does? I've had a good look at what God has given us to do—busywork, mostly. True, God made everything beautiful in itself and in its time—but he's left us in the dark, so we can never know what God is up to, whether he's coming or going. I've decided that there's nothing better to do than go ahead and have a good time and get the most we can out of life. That's it—eat, drink, and make the most of your job. It's God's gift."
(Ecclesiastes 3:1-13 (MSG)) ¶ 1:20 AM
