Readings: Ecclesiastes 3:1-11; Psalm 144; Luke 9:18-22
Today, the author of the book of Ecclesiastes directs our minds to reflect on time.
I will just draw our minds to three things about time:
I. Time is not our possession
Many times we presume that time belong to us. We can do what we want at any time, we shift every good thing till later. I will confess later, I will repent later, I will reconcile later, I will be kind and generous later, I will do it when I have time.
The author reminds us that time is not ours. It is something that happens to us and we can’t control. We won’t always have time; even Jesus told Judas “what you have to do, do it quickly” (John 13:27, also read James 4:13-14). Whatever good the Lord has put in your mind to do, please do not put it off day after day.
II. Use your time wisely and well.
There is a time for us to be young, active, beautiful and energetic.
Every frail and aged person was once young and active. Later in life, if God spares our lives, we shall also be like that, we won’t always be fresh and energetic. Wrinkles will emerge to tell the stories of our struggles, our backs may no longer be as straight and upright as it once was, some tooth may go ahead us, we get to an age and we could begin to become forgetful, we gradually become a faded version of ourselves, we begin to battle with illnesses, our system begins to wane.
When I visit elderly people, I have the habit of looking at the pictures of when they were young; I use that to remind myself of the inevitable.
While we have the energy, let us use our time well, we cannot be young forever.
Let us also take care of the elderly and be patient with them because the measure we give out, we shall also receive. For those who mock the elderly or treat them without patience, kindness or compassion, they are invariably mocking their future.
If you are elderly, do not disgrace old age, do not be concerned about what is not important, do not be anxious about insignificant things, and be more concerned about your eternity.
III. Time changes.
If time favours you, be careful, because time changes. Some of you grandparents now take instructions from your children and grandchildren whom you once instructed; it is now their time, time changes.
Jesus told the disciples that a time will come when the Son of Man will suffer, be rejected and killed, a time will come when he will also rise again. That is, the rabbi will not always be honoured, sought and lauded, time will soon change.
When time favours you, help and support others because you can’t be too sure what is coming next. If it’s your turn today, be careful, you don’t know whose turn it will be next. Time changes, time is unpredictable, time can shock anyone.
Sermon preached by Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Baraka-Gukena Okami on September 25, 2020.