Call on God for All Things at All Times (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8)

A Reflection for Saturday, March 8 by Rev. Julie Jane Capel

Lectionary reading for 03/08/2025: Psalm 91:1-2, 9-16; Ecclesiastes 3:1-8; John 12:27-36 

Selected passage for reflection: Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

Read

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 Wycliffe Bible

All things have time, and all things under [the] sun pass by their spaces. (Everything hath a time, and all things pass forth in their places under the sun.)

Time of birth, and time of dying; time to plant, and time to draw up that that is planted. (Time to be born, and time to die; time to plant, and time to draw up what is planted.)

Time to slay, and time to make whole (Time to kill, and time to heal); time to destroy, and time to build.

Time to weep, and time to laugh; time to bewail, and time to dance.

Time to scatter stones, and time to gather (them) together; time to embrace, and time to be far from embracing.

Time to get, and time to lose; time to keep, and time to cast away. (Time to get, and time to set free; time to keep, and time to throw away.)

Time to cut, and time to sew together; time to be still, and time to speak (time to be silent, and time to speak).

Time to love, and time of hatred; time of battle, and time of peace. (Time to love, and time to hate; time to fight, and time to make peace.)

Reflect

Over a decade ago I worked on a painting series on Isaiah 58. Call and Answer is the fifth in the 40+ art pieces created thus far. It is through the guttural calling out to God of Psalm 91 that I will reflect on Ecclesiastes 3:1-8.

Call and Answer: Psalm 91:14-15b - NIV, “Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him;   I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call on me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble

Ecclesiastes 3 continues to be a faith touch point for me – orienting me towards the fact that God is not startled by unfolding events in my personal life, in the events of the world, or even in how the message of Jesus thrives or gets distorted. God’s lack of alarm is not a lack of care. In fact, it is in calling out to God during each season/activity that we may be able to appreciate God’s lordship over the times of our grief and celebration, the times of our strength and times of our weakness, the times that faith is easy and the times it is difficult to hold onto. In each case, when we call on God he promises to answer us. And not only answer us, but be with us!  

In reading Ecclesiastes 3, I was struck by how different translations (NIV, MSG, NLT, Wycliffe Bible) can frame the same general experience yet create very different emotional responses in me. 

I experience Verse 2b A time to plant and a time to uproot (NIV) distinctly differently than A time to plant and a time to harvest (MSG/NLT). Planting and uprooting connects me to the emotions of moving from city to city and needing to start over. In contrast to how planting and harvesting connects me to good stewardship and planning. 

OR

Verse 6a:  A time to search and a time to give up (NIV), A time to search and a time to quit searching (MSG/NLT), Time to get, and time to lose or set free (Wycliffe Bible) stirs emotions of: calling out to God in frustration versus calling out to go for wisdom versus calling out to God to help me trust when it hurts.    

OR

Verse 7b: A time to be silent and a time to speak (NIV) versus A time to be quiet and a time to speak (MSG/NLT) in contrast to time to be still, and time to speak (Wycliffe Bible). 

To be made to be silent reminds me of children/ women/ immigrants who were not allowed to use their voices or when “silence is deafening” because truth has not been spoken to power. To be quiet reminds me of internal processors who need time to collect their thoughts to be able to speak in the wisest way possible. And to be still, for me, is an act of discipline in order to be a faithful follower of Christ. Each of these are the same general experience but can be framed with very different responses of meaning in regards to calling out to God and God answering with his presence. 

Respond 

Reader, I invite you to respond by reading these differing translations of verse 8 and calling out to God in light of current national events in the context of remembering Jesus moving towards the cross in an act of sacrificial love. 

A time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace. (NIV/MSG/NLT)

Time to love, and time of hatred; time of battle, and time of peace. (Wycliffe Bible).

Time to love, and time to hate; time to fight, and time to make peace. (Wycliffe Bible).

Rest 

Lord, we call on you and we are grateful that you do answer. That you do say “here I am” and promise to be with us. We need you to share your mercy with us in this season – in the highs and in the lows. Grant us wisdom to frame experiences we have during this Lenten season with the emotional and physical responses that are most in alignment with your Kingdom. Amen.  

About the Author 

Julie Jane Capel

Rev. Julie Jane Capel lives 15 minutes outside of Washington DC with her husband and 10 year old pup. A North Park Seminary graduate and ECC ordained pastor since 2013 – she continues to do pulpit supply and interim work. Additionally, Julie is an internationally selling impressionist painter. Instagram:@jjcpaintings