CYCLES

The sun also arises, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to his place where he arose. The wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about unto the north; it whirleth about continually, and the wind returneth again according to his circuits. All the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea is not full; unto the place from whence the rivers come, thither they return again.

– Eccl. 1:5–7

Without doubt, cycles, by design, are part of life. This reality concerns everyone, and exists throughout creation. Nature is always shouting, "Here I go again!" Ecclesiastes, in particular, is a spectacular book that speaks plainly to this reality so that we may come to understand God and His plan for our purposes under the sun. That said, the path we choose and how we live out our lives is of great importance. Nothing humanity does go unnoticed, from the smallest to the greatest, for it is all consequential; hence, some actions carry a heavier impact. Therefore, the utmost desire in one's life-time should be to live out the Creator's perfect will - knowing that in the fullness of time His predetermined purpose is what brings about surpassing mind-blowing blessings, now and through generations. And to add, God is glorified.

Even so, I pondered the question: “What was God's original intention for cycles?” Hmm... I may not get the answer until I get to heaven. However, on the other hand, Genesis reveals how He created the world in six days, with each part demonstrating such an involuntary rhythmic movement that perpetually shows His great handiworks (Psalm 19:1–3), and also for the benefit of humanity (Psalm 8:6).

Cycles Produce Results

One thing we can grasp is that cycles produce results. To name a few: 1) seasons, 2) expectations, 3) to help prepare us from one period to the next, and 4) (genealogies) extracting the old and inserting the new, which brings me to the inspiration behind this blog.

It had been years since I washed my clothes in a public laundromat. I'd been used to doing laundry in the comfort of my home, as most are. However, I was in transition from one residence to another, and the distance between them was approximately twenty-five miles, so I decided to visit a storefront establishment just up the street. This decision wasn't without motive, though; I'd had hopes for an opportunity to talk to someone about the love of Jesus Christ.

Upon entering, I noticed the place was spic and span. There was an attendant present named Melody, who was eager and ready to serve. If I had a question about operating the commercial machines, she kindly assisted me. After my encounter with her, my heart was set on, yes, she would be the one with whom I’d share my Jesus.

I conveniently struck up a conversation with Melody during the wash cycle, after which I moseyed over to the drying section and asked, "How much for the dryer?" "Twenty-five cents for every sixteen minutes," she replied. “That’s an odd number,” I said to myself. Why not fifteen or twenty. Anyway, I began loading my clothes into the machine and depositing the few quarters I had into the slot. As I stood watching the clothing being tossed around, I got lost in my thoughts: "Hmm...sixteen minutes is not a very long cycle at all. I'll have to add more quarters to get the job done." In went the last of my coins. For me, this is what life on earth resembles. Everyone born and everything that exists under the sun enters a life "cycle" in which they live and eventually die. Sort of like a shooting star brightly lit for a few second, sailing across the midnight sky, abruptly vanishes away.

Much to my surprise, I witnessed an excellent example of this in an unusual venue. While working in a thrift store for a faith-based organization, the Lord drew my attention to this particular phenomenon to teach me once more just how fleeting life is. All this came about by peering at used items.

The store was filled with merchandise that came from the community, softly used donations from kitchen items to cars. Many shoppers found it a joy to dig through the goods in hopes of finding treasures. Oftentimes customers would redonate their purchases back to the Center.

We Enter The World As Fragile Beings And Leave On The Same Note

A few times I'd see a person's belongings come in, and just knew the individual had died. Everything they ever used and hadn’t: dainty nightgowns and bedroom slippers, a wallet filled with family pictures, tennis rackets, half-empty parfum bottles, jewelry, meticulous artwork and paintings done by hand. Finally, bed pads and diapers joined the mix, as if to say, “Before I parted, I needed a caretaker.” It was like seeing a record of this individual's life—a mark, if you will, and how it had eventually come to a close. Yes, we enter the world as fragile beings and leave on the same note—except much

older, of course.

How candidly individuals speak about those whose presence is no longer, as if it only happens to the next-door neighbor. Consequently, you and I will be in the same boat one day, mentioned in the same manner of conversation. The topics will consist of how we lived, what we liked or didn't, what we did for a living, and the items now left behind.

Unlike the coin slot for the machine, one doesn't get to add on more years at will. It all begins and ends with God as He breathes the breath of life, divinely inserts that life into the womb, and seemingly a short time later, one is seventy-plus or in the grave. By then another soul enters the womb, and another cycle begins.

In summary, what do we do with the short time given us? How will we fill the metaphoric sixteen-minute cycle? I thought about how I could make the most of them, for example, how I'd share Jesus with the laundromat attendant and wondered if she'd choose God's perfect plan by accepting Christ as her personal Savior! I thought about how I could make my life count for my Lord in that short period.

Moreover, I did. I thanked God that her heart was open to hearing the gospel that day. In turn, Melody thanked me for sharing Christ Jesus, a person she had been introduced to as a child. No doubt something had been missing, yet something stirred in her heart once again that would make her seek God in a new and fresh way. My prayer for Melody is that she will come to understand that one day soon her cycle will end and eternity will begin—that the Father will open her eyes to know the Jesus of the Bible in her adult life. As controversial as this may be, knowing Him is the only ticket to life.

Only What You Do For Christ Will Last…

Taking into account that rotations are inevitable, what shall I conclude? As mentioned previously, there is a beginning and an ending. Notwithstanding, the life we live now is predicated upon the rewards received in eternity; that is, eternal life or eternal death. If your choice is eternal life, you can make your destination sure. How? The answer is, whatever you do, do it with all your heart for the sake of Christ. I venture to say, in the grand scheme of things, only what we do for Christ will last.

Do You Know Jesus?

Jesus Christ loves you very much. His plan for you is to save you from sin that you may live with Him in eternity. The Scripture declares:

And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved —Acts 2:21

If you don’t know Christ, I compel you by the love of God and power of the Holy Spirit to call on the name of Jesus with all your heart and repent of your sinful ways. Christ will come in and cleanse you, and wash you white as snow. It doesn’t matter how dark the deeds you’ve done, the Lord is able to make you a new creation.

Blessed be the name of the Lord!

I look forward to hearing from you , so don't forget to leave a comment!

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