TLIC FAMILY. DAY 78. MARCH 19: A SEASON.

THINK TOGETHER

Can you name something that makes you happy?

READ TOGETHER

Ecclesiastes 3 contains these very famous verses. They’re famous because there was a very popular song written about them a long time ago.  

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8. ¹For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: ²a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck what is planted; ³a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build; ⁴a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; ⁸a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace.

Now, most people try to make these verses all about us. There is a time for US to do everything. And if we can figure out the right time to do things then we might have a happy life. But the Wise Teacher (the author of Ecclesiastes) is actually saying the exact opposite. He’s saying that God determines all of the times to do things. Everything happens when God wants it to, not us. People are born and people die when God decides. Plants are sown and plants are plucked when God decides; he controls the weather and the seasons. We even laugh and we cry when God decides. And because God controls everything the Teacher then says this:

Ecclesiastes 3:12. I perceived that there is nothing better for [us] than to be joyful and to do good as long as they live.

What is the Wise Teacher telling us to do? He’s telling us to be happy and do good. Are you happy? Do you try to do good?

One thousand years after Ecclesiastes, Jesus came to earth and taught us the same two things. Jesus said be happy and do good. But Jesus didn’t tell us to be happy and to do good because life is so short. He told us to be happy and good because life is forever. We will spend forever with Jesus being happy and doing good, and loving God and others. So, why not start being happy and doing good today?

Because of Jesus we know that God will make everything good in his time.

With Jesus we can be joyful and good while we trust God’s timing.

DO SOMETHING TOGETHER

Make a plan to do something good for someone today at school and then report back to your family about if doing good made you happy or not.

PRAY TOGETHER

Jesus, you make my life happy and good. Help me to trust you and your timing, and to do good to others because that’s what I’ll do forever in Heaven. Amen.