What seasons in your life align with "a time to be born and die"? Verse for Today “a time to be born and a time to die; a time to plant and a time to uproot” (Ecclesiastes 3:2) What the Phrase Affirms • God Himself appoints each beginning and each ending. • Every season is purposeful, never random (cf. Psalm 139:16: “all my days were written in Your book”). • These words describe literal birth and death while also pointing to lesser starts and finishes we meet along the way. Seasons That Echo “a Time to Be Born” • Physical birth: the moment God sends a new life into the world (Psalm 127:3). • Spiritual rebirth: “You must be born again” (John 3:7). Regeneration is the greatest beginning of all. • Fresh callings: new jobs, ministries, marriages, or relocations God ordains. • Restored relationships: seasons when forgiveness breathes fresh life into broken bonds. • Renewed zeal: times when the Holy Spirit revives a stagnant heart (Psalm 51:10). Seasons That Echo “a Time to Die” • Physical death: “it is appointed for man to die once” (Hebrews 9:27). Our earthly exit is scheduled by God. • Dying to sin: “consider yourselves dead to sin” (Romans 6:11). Ongoing, daily surrender. • Closing chapters: retirement, empty nests, ministry transitions—gracious conclusions ordained by the Lord. • Pruning losses: friendships that fade, dreams that wither, habits the Spirit puts to death (John 15:2). Living Wisely Between Birth and Death • Receive each new beginning gratefully, stewarding it for God’s glory (Colossians 3:23). • Embrace necessary endings without fear, trusting His sovereign plan (Job 1:21). • Stay alert to spiritual seasons: be quick to nurture what God is birthing and quick to release what He is ending. • Keep eternity in view: “to live is Christ and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21). Hope Beyond the Seasons • Resurrection guarantees that every ending for the believer leads to a greater beginning (1 Corinthians 15:52–54). • In Christ, the final “time to die” ushers us into unending life: “whoever lives and believes in Me will never die” (John 11:26). |
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