breaking down

January 23, 2017

Protection of Baruch (Jer 45:4-45:5)

“Thus you shall say to him.

‘Thus says Yahweh!

I am going to break down,

What I have built.

I am plucking up

What I planted,

The whole land!

You!

Do you seek great things

For yourself!

Do not seek them!

I am going to bring disaster

Upon all flesh.’

Says Yahweh.

‘But I will give you

Your life

As a prize of war

In every place

To which you may go.’”

Yahweh, via Jeremiah, said that he was breaking down and plucking up from the sacred Promised Land that he had planted. He did not want Baruch to seek great things for himself. Yahweh was going to bring disaster on all humans. However, he was going to save Baruch. He was going to let him live, wherever he went, as a prize of war.

February 23, 2016

The right time (Eccl 3:1-3:8)

“For everything there is a season.

There is a time

For every matter under heaven.

A time to be born.

A time to die.

A time to plant.

A time to pluck up what is planted.

A time to kill.

A time to heal.

A time to break down.

A time to build up.

A time to weep.

A time to laugh.

A time to mourn.

A time to dance.

A time to throw away stones.

A time to gather stones together.

A time to embrace.

A time to refrain from embracing.

A time to seek.

A time to lose.

A time to keep.

A time to throw away.

A time to tear.

A time to sew.

A time to keep silence.

A time to speak.

A time to love.

A time to hate.

A time for war.

A time for peace.”

This is the famous poem about a correct time for everything. Sometimes it is read at funerals. There also was the 1950s and 1960s Pete Seeger popular song Turn, Turn, Turn that took its lyrics from this poem. God decides the time. We do not. There is a time and place for all the dichotomies of life, birth and death, planting and harvesting, killing and healing, breaking down and building up, weeping and laughing, mourning and dancing, throwing away and gathering stones, embracing and not embracing, seeking and losing, keeping and throwing away, tearing and sowing, keeping silent and speaking, loving and hating, making war and making peace. Everything under heaven has its place and season.