Suitable for its time 

Wilson Doebler - December 19, 2013

The Rev. Kenneth R. Elkin

 

"God has made everything suitable for its time," says the writer of Ecclesiastes.

Several truths are tied up in those few words.

First is the recognition that whatever is,

        has come from God's own hand and will.

We think that we are so clever, yet the more we discover about the nature of things, the more complex and wonderful we see that they are.

At the root of things is not blind chance, but the will and intention of God.

He has made Wilson, and us, and all that is.

"We are his people and the sheep of his pasture," says the Psalmist.

 

Second, each of the parts of this creation "has its time", the writer of Ecclesiastes observes.

We do not continue forever in the same old way.

We know the reality of disease and that our bodies wear out.

Wilson had several hospital stays in recent years, and confusion has been a continuing problem for him.

The profound sorrow of family and friends is tempered by the recognition that Jesus has made a promise to Wilson and to all who have been baptized

that he will hold onto us forever,

        despite the ravages of illness,

        despite anything that would get in the way.

 

This is good news for us

        who know the power of sin,

        who feel the weight of illnesses,

        who are often estranged from the Lord Jesus.

God does not give up on us.

His time is not limited as is ours;

        he is determined to succeed even where we must give up.

 

And third, all that God has made is suitable for its time.

One of the things about Wilson has been his persistence and dedication to his work.

In an age when so many people are lackadaisical about their jobs and cannot wait to get away from them, being at the foundry was on Wilson's mind all the time.

Even in the confusion of the past weeks, he wanted to be at work where he thought he needed to be.

Oh, if that dedication would be caught by others far younger than he!

This is something that is very much needed.

It certainly fits in with being "suitable".

 

As long as he could manage, Wilson was in the church at worship on Sundays, second pew front on the right side.

We could count on that, week after week.

That is also a "suitable" thing.

 

To try to keep track of all of those grandchildren and great-grandchildren is also a "suitable" thing.

 

Thanks be to God, who entrusts such gifts to Wilson, and then showed him how to use them appropriately.

 

God made Wilson suitable for his time.

Thanks be to God.

 

But there is more yet to be said.

Wilson can get nothing more out of this life; he only has things to give now.

The questions are:

        Will we receive them?

        What will we do with them?

 

Wilson's attitude toward work is not something that can be hoarded, but rather it needs to be adopted and used. Will we do that?

 

Wilson was glad to be in the company of fellow believers regularly and to encourage others by that example.

The example of this use of time and opportunities for worship are not things that can be hoarded; they are either used well or squandered. Which will we do?

 

Paul in our reading from 1 Thessalonians today reminds us that our time is limited.

The day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night, he says.

Rather than hearing that as a fearsome thing, let us hear it as a word that urges us to action now, without waiting for any other sign.

"Encourage one another and build up one another, indeed as you are doing," Paul concludes.

 

In the Gospel reading today, Jesus reminds us that his idea of the best community is very much different from the picture that others might have.

Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you, Jesus says.

When so many get caught up in the pursuit of pleasure as the greatest good

Oh, what a challenge!

 

It is with a mixture of joy and sorrow that we gather this morning.

There is the sorrow that Wilson's time is completed among us.

There is joy in our confidence that Jesus will make good on his promises, and will hold onto Wilson and us forever.

As we recognize and receive so many gifts from Wilson, let there also be resolve to make the best use of those gifts,

        to the glory of God,

and for the care and encouragement of those around us.

 

The world has needed Wilson,

and now the world needs what we can do with his legacy.

Thanks be to God.  Amen.