Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 – Start The Day

Tuesday 18th June 2024

“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens:
²a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot,
³a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build,
⁴a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance,
⁵a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
⁶a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away,
⁷a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak,
⁸a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.” Ecclesiastes 3:1-8NIV

God our Rock,

A time to remain with the same verse another day! We call You in a well known hymn our Rock of ages! Well, You are solid, unchanging and immoveable – but for us life is full of change whether by circumstances, events or due to our age. Verse 5 of Ecclesiastes tells us there is a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them.

It started me thinking about the farmers who had to scatter the stones from their fields to be able to plough. It reminded me of the many times stones were gathered and heaped up as markers on mountains (cairns?) and memorials. Like the 12 stones taken from the middle of the Jordan by Joshua and set up as a memorial that they passed through the river on dry land (Joshua 4:4-8).

There is a time to work and there is a time to worship. To do and to remember what You have done for us. And both are important, necessary. There is a time to embrace friends and enjoyment and there is a time to come humbly to You. Sometimes we may worship together, sometimes alone with You, intimate, one to one.

Help us to keep the balance in our lives. Of work, chores, busyness and worship. Help us keep a balance in our relationship with others and with You. And to scatter and receive joy along the way.

In Jesus name we pray, Amen.

God our rock,

For our family, friends, neighbours. Remove stone from their day and scatter joy before them.
For our Ministers, lay leaders, church members. No stones and a harvest of new souls.
For the neighbourhood where we live and those who work and labour in it.
For the Royal family. A balance between service, regaining good health and family.
For our nation and future Government. Good men and women to serve us not themselves.
For Gaza, and the Middle East. Move those with power to make a way to peace.
For Ukraine, continued support from other nations and a move of Your Spirit to end war, soon.
For our armed forces and the many duties they do peacekeeping around the world.
For the NHS, our justice system and police force. Remove obstructions to improvement..
For us to know a health, happy day and no stones of negativity clogging up our minds.

In Jesus name we pray, Amen.

Worship Tuesday 18th June 2024
Forgive me if you were hoping for the tradition tune. But I love this refreshed version.

Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in thee.
Let the water and the blood
From your wounded side which flowed
Be of sin the double cure,
Cleanse me from its guilt and power.

My Rock, my Rock
My Jesus my Rock

Not the labours of my hands
Can fulfil your law’s demands.
Could my zeal no respite know,
Could my tears for ever flow,
All for sin could not atone.
You must save and you alone.

Nothing in my hand I bring,
Simply to your cross I cling.
Naked, come to you for dress,
Helpless, look to you for grace.
Foul, I to the fountain fly.
Wash me, Saviour, or I die.

While I draw this fleeting breath,
When my eyelids close in death,
When I soar to worlds unknown,
See you on your judgment throne,
Rock of Ages cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in thee.

(Rock of ages) Words: A M Toplady (1740-1778)
Revised & adapted Graham Kendrick.
Melody: Graham Kendrick

Monday 17th June 2024

“For everything there is an appointed time, and an appropriate time for every activity on earth:
²A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to uproot what was planted;
³a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
⁴a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance.
⁵A time to throw away stones, and a time to gather stones; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
⁶a time to search, and a time to give something up as lost; a time to keep, and a time to throw away;
⁷a time to rip, and a time to sew; a time to keep silent, and a time to speak.
⁸A time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace.” Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

God of comfort and God of joy,

We are all different, whether by family genes, upbringing or our own particular characteristics. Some of us wear our hearts on our sleeves and some of us are stoic (endure pain or hardship without showing any feelings or complaining!). Some of us cry easily and some of us go quiet and dry eyed.

But Lord God none of us go through this life without times when we want to weep and times when we cannot help but laugh. Thank goodness for laughter! Times when we mourn and times when we feel like dancing. But then again some of us are more inhibited. Extroverts, introverts and all mixes in-between. There is no right or wrong.

The disciples panicked at the thought of having to find food for 5,000 hungry people (Matthew 14:16). And there must have been great joy after when all were fed and there was enough left over for them to eat! (Matthew 14:20). Jesus wept when he heard Lazarus had died (John 11:35). But joy when he called him forth alive. I cannot imagine Mary’s pain seeing Jesus crucified (John 19:25). But Sarah laughed when You, God promised Isaac a son in their old age (Genesis 18:12-15)!

We too laugh and cry and we too have You to be both our God in sorrow and Joy and all things in between. How sad when someone blames You for the sorrow and cannot accept Your help. Be our God in all circumstances and send the laughter along with the comfort.

In Jesus name we worship and pray, Amen.

God of comfort and God of joy,

For our family, friends, neighbours. Balm for sorrow, laughter for healing.
For our Ministers, lay leaders, church members. Joy amid the sorrow and hard work.
For the neighbourhood where we live and those who work and labour in it.
For the Royal family. A season of restored health and joy.
For our nation and future Government. Guide us into a government of good men and women.
For Gaza, and the Middle East. Move those with power to make a way to peace.
For Ukraine, a move of Your Spirit to change hearts and end war, soon.
For our armed forces and the many duties they do peacekeeping around the world.
For the national Health service, our justice system and police force. Growing for the future.
For us to know You are with us whatever the day holds and to have laughter to lift our spirits.

In Jesus name we pray, Amen.

Worship Monday 17th June 2024

Give me joy in my heart, keep me praising
Give me joy in my heart, I pray
Give me joy in my heart, keep me praising
Keep me praising ’til the end of day

Sing hosanna, sing hosanna
Sing hosanna to the King of kings
Sing hosanna, sing hosanna
Sing hosanna to the King

Give me peace in my heart, keep me resting
Give me peace in my heart, I pray
Give me peace in my heart, keep me resting
Keep me resting ’til the end of day

Give me love in my heart, keep me serving
Give me love in my heart, I pray
Give me love in my heart, keep me serving
Keep me serving ’til the end of day

Lyrics: Anon.

Saturday 15th June 2024

A season and a purpose for everything. We see Your seasons in the natural sowing and reaping. We wonder how the changes in the weather will affect those? When I consider the church I am astounded how much uprooting and planting has been done. We see your hand raising up new fellowships with young families and rejoice. We see churches that have not grown and are closing and are sad. But we can see Your hand in it all.

Through history we see you leading men and women. They planted schools and planted education laws. They developed printing and we all have a Bible. They uprooted worship and suggested new. From chanting Psalms in Latin to singing hymns. To having orchestras in church which horrified many. To then use organs which many condemned as demonic. And then having guitars and drums again which many condemned as the devils instruments. There is a time to plant new and a time to uproot and accept change. And the worship is still to glorify You, God.

Sometimes people do not want to end something that has meant so much to them. I do not always like change Lord. Sometimes the time is right to plant something new. The old has seen its day. Help us not to mourn when things have to change if they are to enable growth for the future. Just help us make sure the song remains the same. The song of Your salvation the song of Your love.

In Jesus name we pray, Amen.

God who plants,

For our family, friends, neighbours. For Your hand in any changes and Your love to guide and help.
For our Ministers, lay leaders, church members. To take the church forward ready for the future.
For our nation and future Government. Lay the foundation for the government for our future.
For Gaza, and the Middle East. Move those with power to find a way to peace.
For Ukraine, a move of Your Spirit to change hearts and end war.
For the churches in Ukraine, Myanmar, Russia, Afghanistan and Syria.
For Christian aid agencies at home and overseas and in war zones.
For new churches and traditional churches adapting to serve their communities and God today.
For us to know good change when it comes and help us adapt where we need to and even enjoy it.

In Jesus name we pray, Amen.

Worship Saturday 15h June 2024
The song we sing remains the same, of our Saviours love. I love this melody. Londonderry Air.

I cannot tell why he, whom angels worship,
should set his love upon the sons of men,
or why, as Shepherd, he should seek the wanderers,
to bring them back, they know not how or when.
But this I know, that he was born of Mary
when Bethl’em’s manger was his only home,
and that he lived at Nazareth and laboured,
and so the Saviour, Saviour of the world, is come.

I cannot tell how silently he suffered,
as with his peace he graced this place of tears,
or how his heart upon the cross was broken,
the crown of pain to three and thirty years.
But this I know, he heals the broken-hearted
and stays our sin and calms our lurking fear
and lifts the burden from the heavy laden;
for still the Saviour, Saviour of the world is here.

I cannot tell how he will win the nations,
how he will claim his earthly heritage,
how satisfy the needs and aspirations
of east and west, of sinner and of sage.
But this I know, all flesh shall see his glory,
and he shall reap the harvest he has sown,
and some glad day his sun will shine in splendour
when he the Saviour, Saviour of the world, is known.

I cannot tell how all the lands shall worship,
when at his bidding every storm is stilled,
or who can say how great the jubilation
when every heart with love and joy is filled.
But this I know, the skies will thrill with rapture,
and myriad myriad human voices sing,
and earth to heav’n, and heav’n to earth, will answer,
‘at last the Saviour, Saviour of the world, is King!’

Lyrics: W Y Fullerton

The verses each acknowledge that we cannot not understand fully the way in which God works, and (in verse 2) that it is almost impossible for us to relate wholly to Christ’s act of self-sacrifice. Nevertheless, writes Fullerton, there are things we wish to proclaim out of faith: that God became real in Bethlehem’s manger (verse 1); that God’s presence will outlast our experience of the world as we know it (verse 3); and that the love Jesus demonstrated in his life and death will win out completely (verse 4).