We continue in the book of Ecclesiastes today (Eccl 3:9-15) and our household object is the calendar. For many people, a calendar still hangs in paper form in our house (I love mine, as it’s a photo calendar with pictures of my grandchildren on each month) For others, a phone calendar helps us keep track of appointments and commitments. Calendars remind us of important dates (including religious holidays and Bank holidays) and can be used to keep track of important dates (birthdays, anniversaries etc.) as well as more mundane appointments.
Gordon Giles says, ‘The writer of Ecclesiastes gives us a sobering perspective on the busyness of our lives and the tendency to be guided, even rules, by calendars or diaries. For no matter how busy we are, or how full our calendars, time marches on: everything we do, or plan to do, or have done, needs to be placed in perspective against the eternal, divine time of God.’ (‘At Home In Lent’, P 113) It’s one thing to plan ahead, but as James reminds us, we need to plan with God and not assume! (James 4:13-15)
