1. A TIME TO DIE (Ps 23; Eccles 3:1-8)

Like the time of our birth, the time to die must also be in God’s hands. Some foolishly take their own lives, abusing their divine gift by an untimely exit, afterwards to face the judgment. But we must never, never fall into this snare of Satan. Our times are in God’s hands (Ps 31:15).

Our times are in Thy hands;
O God we leave them there;
Our days our years our life itself
We leave them to Thy care.
Our times are in Thy hands;
Why need we fret or fear?
A Father’s hand will never cause
His child a needless tear.

“The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord …” (Ps 37:23). He who orders each step will He not also the last? The last step will be the most decisive — the step out of this world into the next, out of time into eternity. It is the one step most people are reluctant to take in as much as they are ill prepared. Should you be called to take that step tonight, will you go willingly or reluctantly, happily or in terror?

O to realize that God’s call may come any time and without warning, and that death is a ONE-WAY TICKET with NO RETURN. The most urgent question we must answer is “Where will that ticket lead to?” O my soul, Whither wilt thou fly? Heaven or hell? Do you know? Are you ready?

Readiness to die gives boundless energy to live — for God. You are not really able to live life meaningfully, and to the full, until you are ready to die! If you are afraid to die, you need to speak to the Saviour. Be saved today, my friend! Come to Christ the Good Shepherd. Come to Him for cleansing and forgiveness. He will take you into His fold. Then you will be able to say, “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me.”

For the believer death holds no terror. It is just “going home.” Absent in the body, present with the Lord!

QUIZ: Can death be postponed or avoided? Is there a way?

THOUGHT: “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” (Phil 1:21)

2. A TIME TO WEEP (Ps 30:5-11; Eccles 3:4-12)

Laugh and the world laughs with you. Cry and you cry alone! Man has a natural aversion to crying, but who can avoid it? Every child announces its arrival into our sin-sick world with a cry. Doctors and midwives welcome this “sign of life,” the note of sadness notwithstanding.

A time to weep! When was the last time you wept? Some weep with joy or relief (eg: on passing examinations or winning in sport). Some weep with disappointment or frustration. But extreme grief causes both weeping and mourning. Man is born to trouble, and our world is a vale of tears. Every parting of loved ones evokes heart pangs, oftentimes tears of sadness.

While tears are the lot of all, a vast difference separates believers from the world. The tears of the child of God contain an element of hope and cheer. “…(T)he sorrow of the world worketh death” (2 Cor 7:10). The darkest side of the road to the Celestial City is brighter than the glitter of a thousand worlds. The Christian who mourns for his sin has the promise of God’s comfort (Matt 5:4). The grief of bereavement finds consolation in the hope of the resurrection. “Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing…” (Ps 30:11) is the experience of the child of God.

A TIME TO LAUGH

Dear believer, God has a happy appointment with each of us. Sorrow and weeping are not for ever. “For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning” (Ps 30:5). Joy is the harvest of the seed-time of tears. Our Christian life may be marked by afflictions and persecutions. Our service for God may be marred by obstacles and setbacks. Did you sometimes weep before the Lord? Be comforted, dear child. The Father says to you, “They that sow in tears shall reap in joy … When the Lord turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream. Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing … The Lord hath done great things for them” (Ps 126:5, 1, 2).

Our present night of weeping will shortly break into the dawn of eternal joy. Our world of sin and sickness will pass, and we shall enter into the joy and health of the Lord. Our weeping will give way to the laughter of salvation. All because Jesus lives!

QUIZ: When our Lord returns, will you be weeping or laughing?

PRAYER: Teach me, O Lord, the joy of holy laughter.

3. A TIME TO KEEP SILENCE (Prov 10:19-21; Eccles 3:7-12)

The man of God (women, boys and girls too!) must be well-disciplined. He must exercise control over the tongue, the most responsible member (at times the most irresponsible). The Preacher observes: there is a time to keep silence, although the function of the tongue is to speak! How loathsome are those great talkers who do so merely to exercise their tongues! “In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise” (Prov 10:19).

Remember, times of silence must be carefully observed. When speaking would be “casting pearls before swine” (Matt 7:6), be wise and keep silence! To a talkative fool, say little or nothing, lest we also become like him. Before the Holy God, learn to be still and keep silence (Ps 46:10; Hab 2:20). In the house of mourning a few words from the God of all comfort should suffice; silent sympathy is soothing. A profuse comforter adds grief. He is more a pain than a balm. Pray, therefore, for wisdom to know when it is better not to speak.

A TIME TO SPEAK

“A word spoken in due season, how good it is!” (Prov 15:23b). Christian reader, may God give you the word “in season,” that it may bring a timely and fruitful blessing to the hearers. With God-given wisdom may you speak words to restrain fools and comfort the

sorrowing. Pray for special grace to speak the truth in love, and words of rebuke and correction in a spirit of humility. By gracious words instruct the ignorant, succour the needy, encourage the downhearted.

But how to speak and what to say? That is the problem! How are we to have a ready word? By our own strength it will be well-nigh impossible. But the Lord gives the words and increases wisdom. Your speech will reflect how intimately you have communed with the Lord in secret. Much time in prayer daily is the best and only sure way of equipping you to speak the “word in season.”

Christian reader, you can be such a blessing by what you say as well as what you withhold from saying. Yours is

a God-given responsibility. Never neglect it, nor abuse it. The Lord has given you this gift of speech. Use it with humility, kindness, wisdom, restraint and grace.

Wherefore, my beloved brethren (and reader), “let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath” (James 1:19). “If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man” (James 3:2).

QUIZ: How can the “little member” (James 3:5) be tamed?

THOUGHT: “When thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear than to give the sacrifice of fools...” (Eccl 5:1)

God bless you dear readers.