Streams of Mercy
I believe each of us has a unique way of looking at life and dealing with life’s challenges. For me, I’ve always seen life as a “journey,” so I’m always “on the move,” even if ever so slowly, never resigning myself to where I am at any given point in time. I once read “No one ever steps in the same river twice, for it's not the same river and he/she is not the same person.” (Heraclitus) Too, I see the journey of life unfolding in seasons, again and again, and through years of living have come to see that each season yields its fruit. “Seasons” and “journey” can be helpful ways of thinking as we deal with the changes in our lives coming with this Covid 19 Pandemic of 2020.
The words of Ecclesiastes 3:1 in the Bible remind us – “for everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven;” and from Ecclesiastes 3:11, “God makes everything beautiful in His time” (KJV) or “God makes everything suitable for its time.”(NIV) Looking at one’s life from this perspective is helpful in making it through difficult seasons of life.
Do you remember the song “Turn, Turn, Turn,” by the Byrds? The lyrics come from Ecclesiastes 3, and I’ve found this a helpful “soundtrack” for all the days of my life, and especially meaningful during these days of Covid 19 quarantine.
To everything (turn, turn, turn) There is a season (turn, turn, turn) And a time to every purpose, under heaven
A time to be born, a time to die A time to plant, a time to reap A time to kill, a time to heal A time to laugh, a time to weep
To everything (turn, turn, turn) There is a season (turn, turn, turn) And a time to every purpose, under heaven
A time to build up, a time to break down A time to dance, a time to mourn A time to cast away stones, a time to gather stones together
To everything (turn, turn, turn)
There is a season (turn, turn, turn)
And a time to every purpose, under heaven
A time of love, a time of hate,
A time of war, a time of peace
A time you may embrace
A time to time to refrain from embracing
To everything (turn, turn, turn)
There is a season ( turn, turn, turn)
And a time to every purpose under heaven.
A time to gain, a time to lose,
A time to rend, a time to sew,
A time for love, a time for hate
A time for peace, I swear it’s not too late
In looking up these lyrics, I remembered they were written by Pete Seeger in the late 1950s. In an interview when introducing the song, Seeger says, “How can we say what needs to be said to each other? … This world has to stick together, and the language of music ties us together in deeper ways than religion, politics or national identity.”
Life is indeed a journey we’re making together, and this season through which we’re passing is one of the toughest faced by our generation.
“To everything (turn, turn, turn)
there is a season (turn, turn turn)
And a time to every purpose under heaven.”
May we learn the lessons to be learned from this season of living and continue on life’s journey together, giving thanks for traveling mercies from our loving God, who promises to be with us always.
Elizabeth