"There is an appointed time for everything,
A time for every affair under the heavens.
A time to be born; A time to die;
A time to plant; A time to uproot the plant.
A time to kill; A time to heal;
A time to tear down, and a time to build...."   (Eccles 3:1-3)

Fame and fortune are fleeting, and, like the wind, they will all pass away. There is no substance to a life full of riches and empty possessions. We must, as Christians, always strive to do good; always reaching to those who need a kind word, a helpful hand, a friendly thought. These gifts are of God, and they will never fade away.

The seasons of our lives hold steps in the plan God has for us. To live our lives for the Lord means taking each step as it comes; bearing our crosses of life, in order that we may accept our eternal crown of glory in heaven. Yes, there is a time and a place for everything, and only God, our Father knows what the outcome will be. His plan was carried out in the earthly life, death, and resurrection of his own Son, and it continues on in each of us. We must focus our lives on this journey with God. On the road of life with Him, God will reveal to us the proper time and place for the fulfilling of His plan. All that is required of us is to serve our brothers, and live our lives in the Light of His Teachings; as good and true examples of His Goodness, His Mercy, and His Love.

The tangible goods of this world are not all necessities for human survival, and there is no point in an excess of these things. Our inner beings, on the other hand, must seek the untouchable, i.e., the virtues that make us rich in our souls, and full of the gifts of our God, Most High. We are all, in truth, little children in this enormous world; unfortunately, many of us choose a life without God. These choices bring about actions of pride, selfishness, and feelings of superiority over others. In essence, we create the type of world we live in by the ways in which we conduct ourselves.

A charitable heart will always reach out to others, granting them comfort in their time of desperation. Charity accompanies Love in our lives. If you are truly a loving human being, you are also charitable; giving of self, no matter what the cost, for the good and well-being of others. We must pray always for God’s precious gifts of love, that we may radiate His goodness to this vast world in which we live.

What is today belongs to the present, but what yet to come is not known. Even with our advanced technology of today, we are still unsure of all that will be in our future. For who can predict the course of events of their personal lifetimes, or the lifetimes of others, for that matter. Our destiny, our fate, what is to come of us...all of these questions are unanswerable by our human nature. Our minds are unable to solve the mystery of God’s plans for us, but we do have the ability to live graced by the gifts of Jesus Christ.

We do know this much: Jesus Christ became a man, came to earth, and preached the Good News of the Kingdom. It was our sinfulness that crucified Him on the Cross, our sins for which He bled and died. There is no greater love than this, and Our Savior bore the burden of our failures and wrongdoings in His battered, broken body. Christ broke the chains of death in His dying and rising to new life, and we, the little children of the world, now celebrate this freedom.

Jesus now lives in the hearts of mankind, and He radiates his love in the hearts of those who welcome Him, and hunger for Him in their souls. You can see Him in the hearts of those who long for his goodness, and all of us have the opportunity to experience more of Him in our lives, by serving our brothers, and through prayer, and quiet time...with Him.

by Lisa Piepmeier