A Time To…

WED., JULY 6, 1994, 2:12 PM
OFFICE, PULLIAM HALL

It has been quite a time span since I last spoke to you on this theme, but now you are off on a study of one of My favorite portions of Scripture – the small “book” of Ecclesiastes. Hence it is time for Me to enlighten you again in relation to this important concept. Naturally it fits with both/and thinking and with My love for diversity. You’ll see, on this day when it is cool and pleasant in here and hot, hot outside, how I can do this.

“For everything there is a season” implies that while those 14 pairs of conditions ( 2:20 / 6:03 ) appear to be opposites they really should be seen more as complements. Though some would be seen as preferable to or better than its opposite, the Scripture stills says “there is a time for” each. Earth life means there are a variety of possible circumstances, and each of you humans must decide what to do or not do… or what to favor or oppose.

Alan came to visit, and you had to decide whether to continue this Teaching or to listen to him as he talked about his life, his church, and his work. Now there is a time to finish the Teaching, but it could also be a time to water and weed the garden. It was a time to finally finish the course outline for your upcoming class. Now that is virtually ready for distribution, and tomorrow will be another “time to…”

It is time to conclude your contribution of many years to the class once called Survival. Again you are disappointed in the attendance, which does “fortify” the conclusion that it is a time for you to be teaching mostly seniors and graduate students. These younger folk are still valuable to Me and to this culture, but many of them are not very serious about GE courses or about environmental concerns. I call on you to go over the notes for tomorrow and be sure that you emphasize the importance of the spiritual several times during the lecture.

It still is a time for you to continue to direct learning through your courses… or… it is not yet time for retirement from this special service you render. You know that you, with My help, do conduct some unique and memorable learning experiences. In some ways, there is no one like you in the university… even in the country. Yet I don’t say this to make you overproud… I still do not call you outstanding. Just keep on doing your “dance” in the stimulation of learning.

A time to plant is almost gone, and there should be more in your garden and blooming around this place. This is a disappointment to you, too, I know, so do what you can this weekend ahead.

You think of how your modern medical culture has muddied one of the Preacher’s “pairs”… a time to kill and a time to heal. Now that cancer is a leading cause of mortality, and cancer is actually some of your own cells which become lethal, they must be killed in order to allow the body to heal itself. Surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy are all ways in which cancer cells are killed, so a time for killing is necessary for a later time of healing. You, presently, are taking another “tack” in relation to your possible cancer cells. You are taking in substances which do not kill cells, but do stimulate healing, and when real healing takes place cancer cells retreat and are produced no more.