Of Time and Eternity

Text from Eccl. 5:1-11 and MEC

For every thing there is a season, 
And a time for every matter under heaven. 
A time to be born, and a time to die; 
A time to plant, and a time to harvest; 
A time to kill, and a time to heal; 
A time to love, a time to hate; 
A time to weep, a time to rejoice! 
God has made all things beautiful in His time. 
He has put eternity into the minds of men!

Hot summer sun, hot summer sun, 
Radiant and glowing with wondrous light! 
This brilliance, this shining brightness, 
This brilliance, this golden splendor, 
Seeking out the dark places of the earth, 
Healing and renewing, healing and renewing. 
Hot summer sun.

There is a face whose sweet serenity transcends the sun's warmth, 
Whose eyes pierce the deepest shadow, 
Whose smile illumines the darkness of sorrow and despair. 
There is a voice that speaks with brilliance of light itself. 
Strong are the words He speaks, 
Glowing with the promise of eternal life! 
Drawing men into the circle of His sunlit presence. 
This is Jesus, the strong sun of God, 
The light etemal!

Hot summer sun, hot summer sun, 
Radisnt and glowing with wondrous light 
Healing and renewing, healing and renewing, 
Hot summer sun. Jesus, the Sun.

Chill winds now blow cold upon the land,
Chill sutumn winds.
The sun hides itself;
Leaves whirl in a last mad frenzy of abandon,
Tossed snd driven by the wind,

Some turn sear sad yellow and brown, 
Others splotched with color crumble and fade.
Some are yeLow and brown, 
Otbers splotched with color crumble snd fade. 
Some are red and hang flaming on the branches, 
Only to fall Lke great drops of blood!

Trees are stripped bare! Gaunt and naked they stand!
Arms form a cross against the sky.
Harsh, muttering, angry voices, 
Now what do they say? 
They dispel the brightness and serenity of summer 
And the warmth of its sun. 
They sow doubt, they sow hate, they sow Death! 
They torment, they betrsy, They judge, they Crucify! 
Whom do they crucify? 
They crucify Jesus, 
Whose broken body hangs on the Cross!Now sleeps the world.
The quiet hush of falling snow covers the wounds,
Hides the scars,
Shrouding the earth and fields in a soft, white silence.

Now sleeps the world.
The quiet hush of falling snow covers the wounds,
Hides the scars,
Shrouding the earth and fields in a soft, white silence.
Christ sleeps in the tomb,
His broken body a mute testimony for death!
Now let tears fall.
Let the dead claim its dead.
Christ sleeps in the tomb, imprisoned by death,
By strong bonds of death, forsaken.
Christ sleeps in the tomb.

Alleluia, alleluia, alleuia, 
Now earth breaks the chains of sleep, Alleluia, 
Springs sweet promise wakes the world, Alleluia. 
Soft green embroiders the somber earth, Alleluia.

Whose shining steps are these that mark the way of hope? 
This is the risen Christ! 
The Christ of humility, 
The Christ of the cross, 
The Christ of the resurrection, 
Who turns death into life!

This is the Christ triumphant! 
The living Son of God!