This morning our pastor preached from the book of Ecclesiastes. He mentioned its reputation for being the most negative book in the Bible, partly due to multiple uses of the word “meaningless” in reference to life.

But there are a few bright spots, one of which is in chapter 3. Back in the 1960’s, a group called The Byrds sang a song written by Pete Seeger called “Turn, Turn, Turn.” It was a huge hit despite the lyrics coming straight from that chapter of Scripture.

Here’s verse 1:

To everything, turn, turn, turn.
There is a season, turn, turn, turn.
And a time to every purpose under heaven.
A time to be born, a time to die.
A time to plant, a time to reap.
A time to kill, a time to heal.
A time to laugh, a time to weep.

The tune has three more verses, each right from the Bible, and audiences screamed with delight when The Byrds sang it. Of course most of those concert-goers didn’t know they were singing God’s Word.

I remember reading Ecclesiastes 3 as a new widow, focusing on two specific couplets: “a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance.” For anyone struggling with a life crisis or even just a big change, these words bring good news. When I was deeply grieving, they validated my tears and sadness. They also assured me I would eventually laugh again, and even dance. All of that was great comfort.

Those same couplets can be applied to Mary’s situation, as well as several others: a “time to kill and a time to heal” effectively  describes her chemo. Right now she’s in the kill-phase, taking in chemicals that are lethal to cancer cells. Eventually the killing will stop and the healing will begin, encouraging words when she’s suffering through chemotherapy.

Another couplet she has surely considered in recent weeks is, “a time to be born and a time to die.” I remember when Nate got his diagnosis. The two of us spoke about this truth in factual, non-emotional terms, and I heard Mary talk about it the same way, just after she’d heard the words pancreatic cancer.

The whole truth, however, is that all of us should be talking factually about that line of Scripture. We’ve all been born and will all die. The bottom line for believers in Christ, though, is that there’s nothing to fear. We can talk about it all we want and never get emotional because we know what comes next: a new life beyond imagining.

As the Bible says, “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens.” Mary’s current season is “cancer and chemo,” but only for this time. Our hope is that the next season will be all about laughing and dancing.

“God has made everything beautiful in its time.” (Ecclesiastes 3:11)