“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing, a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.”Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 NIV The astronomical clock was placed at the front side of the tower in 1410. At the southern part of the tower a special stone chamber was built for its mechanical part. The astronomical clock consists of different parts – such as a calendar and an astronomical desk or the mechanism of twelve apostles which sets them in motion. It was quite a sight to see the clock, hear about its history, and watch the movement of the apostles at the top of the hour. It was fascinating to see how the pieces of the clock tell time, tell the position of the sun, impart the season of the year and that we were moving into the time of ‘Leo’ from ‘Cancer.’ Many years ago people would come to the town clock to be grounded in this knowledge, to reset their daily lives.
There are different seasons in our lives today. There are seasons of childhood and youth, perhaps marriage and family, work and retirement, health and declining health. In all of our seasons, God is with us. God is present to guide us through new and changing times to offer us what we need at the moment.
Prayer. Eternal God, we are grateful to be able to depend on your presence during all the seasons of our lives. Amen.