A time to search and a time to give up. Do you recognize that? Maybe it reminds you of a song by The Seekers – Turn, Turn, Turn. Which was based on a passage in the Bible. Either way, I feel like it’s time. Maybe it’s time for you as well?
You probably recognize the source for the adjacent image. Sherlock Holmes. Master detective. He can find anything and anyone.
Sometimes we need to do some searching too.
I need to. But not to find something anyone wants. Not even me.
Instead, I’m looking for something to “lose”. To get rid of. To, in a Biblical sense, give up.
It’s not a New Year’s resolution. Although, if it helps you, it could be one.
No. The things I’m looking for are things that seem to be taking me away from the things I really want to do.
Summary
• A time to search and a time to give up: I delve into the profound meanings embedded in Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, which enumerates various life activities and their appropriate timings, including the times to search and to let go.
• The meaning of אָבַד (ʾā·ḇǎḏ): I investigate the potential interpretations of this Hebrew term, often translated as “give up” or “destroy” in different Bible versions. The translation, I argue, hinges on the dating and authorship of Ecclesiastes.
• Interplay of Divine and Human Actions: I propose that the actions listed in Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 are not solely human endeavors. Instead, they also represent divine interventions, suggesting God’s role in guiding our decisions and discernment.
• The narrow and wide gates: In conclusion, I feel these verses in Ecclesiastes show that we must identify and eliminate the elements that steer us towards the broad path of destruction. Instead, we should heed God’s voice, use the wisdom from “A Time for Everything” in Ecclesiastes, and tread the narrow path leading to life.
A time for everything
A time for everything. Does that help you identify the source for the title?
A Time for Everything
Ecc 3:1 There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under heaven:
Ecc 3:2 a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
Ecc 3:3 a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
Ecc 3:4 a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
Ecc 3:5 a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain,
Ecc 3:6 a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
Ecc 3:7 a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
Ecc 3:8 a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.
…
There it is – the first portion of verse 6.
God and me - this life and the next 
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