A Note from Hixon Frank
Well, it’s over.
Another Christmas season is “in the books.” Maybe it was a great Christmas Celebration and you didn’t want it to be over. Maybe it was your first Christmas after the loss of a loved one. Maybe your blended family didn’t “blend” like you had hoped… or you were alone… or you allowed yourself to miss it in your hurried attempt to make it perfect… or…or…or!
However you look at it, Christmas 2023 is over and a brand new year is right in front of us. Usually, I play the role of cheerleader or “hype-man” with these kinds of end-of-the-year articles. And that would probably be a good direction to go this year…
But instead…
A couple of weeks ago, as I drove home after church, I was listening to one of my favorite XM channels, 60’s GOLD! It’s my “unwind station” and usually involves songs I loved from my early childhood (very very early childhood 😉 This particular night, The Byrds 1965 song called, “Turn, Turn, Turn” echoed through my old truck and struck me differently than it had the hundreds of times I had heard it before.
As you may recall, the song is a direct quote from the 3rd chapter of the book of Ecclesiastes. In fact, Peter Seeger, the songwriter, only added 6 extra unique words to the more than 150 words in the song.
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 (KJV)
3 To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
2 A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant,
and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
3 A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
5 A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
6 A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
7 A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
8 A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.
Beloved, life is fleeting. We will go through difficulties, victories, celebrations and pain. And life will move from season to season. From time to time.
Matthew Henry said it well,
“Those things which to us seem most casual and contingent are, in the counsel and foreknowledge of God, punctually determined, and the very hour of them is fixed, and can neither be anticipated nor adjourned a moment.”
In 2024, each of us will have “a time.” It may be a time to heal, or to laugh or to dance or to embrace. It may also be a time to weep, or to mourn or to lose. We simply don’t know.
But we do know this. The God who structures our days will walk beside us every step of the way (Matt 28:20). He will comfort when needed (2 Corinthians 1:3-4). He will discipline when required (Hebrews 12:5-9). He is the friend who sticks “closer than a brother” (Prov 18:24). He will forgive (1 John 1:9), heal (James 5:15), soften (Rom 9:18), and affect change (Ps 37:4). He can bring the prodigal home and restore your marriage. He can soften your children towards you and give you hope. He can do all of these things.
But make no mistake, you will have “a time” in 2024. How will you respond? How will you embrace the “time”?
As we step gently into a new year, please know that Pastor Michael and the rest of the GABC Tyler, GABC Flint and GABC en Español staffs pray for you often!
We are looking forward to what God has for you in 2024 and, if you will allow us, we will be right there with you and have “a time” together!
Blessings,
Hixon