Happy New Year. Will this be the last year on earth? If we are to believe the predictions from the Mayas it will be. Or at least, 2012 is the date when their calendar stopped.

 

I am not the kind of person to beat other people over the head with religion, but I find peace and security in some of the most widely used verses in the Bible from Ecclesiastes Chapter 3: verses 1-8. No matter what religion, or if you have no religion, you can’t argue with the truths in these statements.

 

I believe that taking a look and reflecting on these words is a great way to begin the new year, too. (By the way, these verses were even made into a very popular song recorded by the Birds).

 

Ecclesiastes 3: 1-8 King James Version

1 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

2 A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;

3 A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;

4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;

5 A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;

6 A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;

7 A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;

8 A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.

  Ecclesiastes   3 : 1-8 NIV Version:

There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven:

A time to give birth, and a time to die: A time to plant, and a time to uproot what is planted.

A time to kill, and a time to heal: A time to tear down and a time to build up.
A time to weep, and a time to laugh; A time to mourn, and a time to dance.
A time to throw stones, and a time to gather stones; A time to embrace, and a time to shun embracing.
A time to search, and a time to give up as lost; A time to keep, and a time to throw away.
A time to tear apart, and a time to sew together; A time to be silent, and a time to speak.
A time to love, and a time to hate; A time for war, and a time for peace.

 

As we journey through 2012, we will be talking about topics from these 8 verses: birth, death, murder, healing, weeping, laughing, moving, embracing—-and more.