Let's talk about time and season in our lives, and how we can flow in God's time and season for each of our lives. I cannot emphasize enough the importance of flowing with God's time and season for each of our lives.
Ecclesiastes 3:1 (NKJV) says, 'To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven.'
Notice the words 'under heaven' here? It means 'on this earth'. There is a time and season for everything here on this earth.
Ecclesiastes 3:11 (NKJV) says, 'He has made everything beautiful in its time...'
Whether it's in the spiritual realm, or whether it's in the natural (physical) realm, it is the same. And not just us. Even animals too are created with the ability to sense and cope with time and season.
For example, winter can be harsh in the wild. There is less food available in winter time. These animals need to learn to prepare enough food and enough warmth as winter draws near. What happens if they miss their time? Their chances of survival will be slim. Some animals would collect or gather food in the hole or underground. Some animals would grow thicker coat of fur, so they can retain heat. In fact, some other animals would avoid the difficulties of winter by reducing their metabolic rate, going into a time of hibernating when the body temperature drops and the heartbeat reduces. So, they might look like dormant, almost like dead, but they are actually alive.
So, how do you know you are in time, out of time, or behind time? How do you know if you are walking in the perfect timing of the Lord? How do you know the time and season in your life, in every aspect of your life? And how not to miss your time?
In 1 Chronicles 12:32 (NKJV), the Bible says, '...of the sons of Issachar who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do...'
The name 'Issachar' here is interesting. It's 'Yissakar' in Hebrew, from the root word 'naw-sar'. This word 'naw-sar' means 'to lift, to rise (higher than others)'.
Interestingly, the Hebrew word for 'eagle' is 'nesher', and this word also comes from the same root word 'naw-sar'.
So people of God, may you have such eagle's vision, and may you be so sensitive in the spirit as you flow with God's time and season in your life!
You see, there's a time for waiting, and there's a time for soaring. There's a time to move forward, and there's a time to return to the nest.
Eagles have such awesome sense of timing. You know that they hardly crash. They just know when to plunge to catch the prey, and when to lift up after catching the prey at the sea.
May you be like that eagle ('nesher')! May you lift and rise higher than the storms above you! May you soar with the winds of the Holy Spirit! May you soar in the ways of the Lord!
My prayer for you right now is the Lord will sensitize your spirit to know your time and season in your life; to walk in it, to flow with it, and to see His good hands in your life!
Very interestingly, the word 'times' here in 1 Chronicles 12:32 is 'paam' in Hebrew, which speaks of 'the movement in the spiritual realm'.
May you too know the movement in the spiritual realm around you!
The key here is to be connected to the Holy Spirit who is all-knowing. It is when you are in tune and connected with the Holy Spirit that you'll be able to catch the "frequency" and "transmission" of the Holy Spirit in your life. It is when you are in tune and connected with the Holy Spirit that you'll be able to catch what the Holy Spirit is doing in your life. And that's how you'll move with such precision like that of an eagle ('nesher')!
There are three ways to see time: kronos, kairos, and atomos.
First, 'kronos' time.
What is a 'kronos' time?
It is a time to keep building, building, building... and a time to keep preparing, preparing, preparing... It's like a planter who keeps tending the plants, yet no fruits to be harvested yet. Or it's like a tree growing its fruits, but not ripe for the picking yet. A waiting time is not a wasted time. A waiting time is a time of strengthening, building, and preparing. If you are in such a time now, continue to build yourself in the Word and in the Spirit. Continue to prepare yourself for the greater things that are coming in your life!
This Greek word 'kronos' is where the English words 'chronicles' or 'chronology' come from. It means 'a time implying a fixed time (or duration), a waiting time, or a time that can be measured (by the physical clock)'.
Second, 'kairos' time.
What is a 'kairos' time?
It is a time when the 'fruit' is ripe for the 'picking' or 'harvesting'! In 1 Chronicles 12:32, in the Greek Old Testament, the word 'times' here, or 'paam' in Hebrew, is translated as 'kairos'. It means 'a time or occasion implying a set time (or a time set by God), an opportune time (when a thing should be done), or an appointed time (to accomplish a God-given task)'. In short, it means 'the right moment', 'the right opportunity', or 'an opportune time'.
Very interestingly, the next few chapters following 1 Chronicles 12:32 are about the right time or the right timing to bring the ark of the covenant, which speaks of 'the presence of the Lord, or the glory of the Lord', back to the city of God! You can see that in 1 Chronicles chapters 13, 14, and 15. Here, the right time to bring back the ark of the covenant to the city of God had come! They did it, and they saw the glory of the Lord!
Third, 'atomos' time.
What is an 'atomos' time?
It is a time of our final victory as believers of the Lord Jesus Christ! Of course, if you are reading this, this time has not come yet. This is because the Lord wants you to make the most out of your current time. He wants you to fulfill His calling for your life here on earth. He wants you to fulfill His vision and mission for you here on earth. But there will come a time when 1 Corinthians 15:52 will come, as the Bible says, 'In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.' Rapture time!
The word 'moment' here is 'atomos' in Greek, which actually means 'uncut, indivisible'. This word 'atomos' is where the English words 'atom' or 'atomic' come from. You see, even 'one second' can be further divided into, say, 'half a second', 'a quarter of a second', 'a hundredth of a second', or even 'a thousandth of a second'. But an 'atomos' is a unit that cannot be further divided.
And in such 'atomos' time, 'in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye', someday, Jesus returns! And that's when we shall all be in eternity. Not time-bound anymore. Not limited by time anymore. Ageless!
1 Corinthians 15:53-54 (NKJV) backs this up, 'For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So, when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: "Death is swallowed up in victory"'. Amen!
So, you have 'kronos' time, you have 'kairos' time, and in the future, you have that 'atomos' time!
Let's look at one example now.
Let's look at Joseph's life. Joseph went through different stages (or seasons) in his life. It can be summarized in Acts 7:9-14 (NKJV) here. 'And the patriarchs, becoming envious, sold Joseph into Egypt. But God was with him and delivered him out of all his troubles, and gave him favor and wisdom in the presence of Pharaoh, king of Egypt; and he made him governor over Egypt and all his house. Now a famine and great trouble came over all the land of Egypt and Canaan, and our fathers found no sustenance. But when Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent out our fathers first, and the second time Joseph was made known to his brothers, and Joseph's family became known to the Pharaoh. Then Joseph sent and called his father Jacob and all his relatives to him, seventy-five people.'
That was a time of reuniting! Jacob (Joseph's father) and all of Joseph's brothers came to Egypt, and they were all reunited with Joseph!
There are five stages (or seasons) in Joseph's life.
1. Adored by his father.
2. Despised by his brothers.
3. Served under a foreign master.
4. Employed by a foreign king.
5. Reunited with his family.
Very interestingly, Joseph's life is a 'picture' of Jesus Himself on earth. Joseph started off as his father Jacob's favorite son. And in the very end, Joseph was reunited with his father Jacob. Look at Jesus now. He came from the Father. He returned to the Father. It is the same with each of us. We came from God the Father. We shall return to God the Father!
Like Joseph, each of us has our own unique life story too. We all have our time and season. We all have our stages and seasons in life. Our part is to continue to trust the Lord that He knows what He's doing in our lives, and trust the Lord that all things will eventually work out for good in our lives.
So beloved of God, whatever you've been going through in your life at the moment, keep looking to the Lord. The Lord sometimes allows certain things to happen in our lives, because He sees farther than us and He knows better than us. Continue to stay connected with the Lord. You may not understand everything that He is doing at the moment, but one day, you will understand. His ways and His thoughts are always higher than ours. He is a good God, and you shall see that He is indeed a good God in your life. Amen!
Prayer:
"O Lord God, we thank You that You are a Sovereign God. We want to learn to walk in Your time and season in our lives. We know that You see farther than us and You know better than us. We want to stay connected to You, and we want to stay in tune with Your Spirit. We want to be like the "eagle" who knows how to soar higher than any storm on earth. We want to be like the "eagle" who knows how to soar in the wind of the Holy Spirit. We want to flow in Your time and season. We will know when to move ahead and when to let go. We will know when to rise and when to rest. We will know when to harvest and when to prepare. In Jesus' name. Amen."
