Tis The Season To Know Your Season.

I woke up this morning with this phrase running through my spirit, “Tis the season to know the season.”

What time is it?

That is a common and yet far from trivial question. It’s always helpful to know what time it is.

It is shocking when you look back at the first Christmas and realize how few people actually knew what time it was.

That is not an indictment, just an observation.

If you or I were alive at the time surrounding Jesus’ birth we very well could’ve missed what was happening as well.

[Tweet ""Sometimes it’s difficult to see what’s hidden in plain sight." "]

I’m amazed that a group of astronomers (the Magi) were the ones who knew the time and season of God’s activity.

They were studying prophecies of the Jews and signs in the heavens.

They were looking.

They were waiting with expectation.

They were even willing to travel incredible distances to get in on what God was doing…and we don’t even know fully why!

I don’t want to miss a thing that God is doing in my life.

I don’t want to live unaware of the times and seasons our generation is entrusted to live in. My bet is that neither do you.

The good news is that we don’t have to miss it!

When Jesus walked on the earth as a man, He made this statement to a group of religious people who were missing their moment big time,

“You know how to interpret the weather signs in the sky, but you don’t know how to interpret the signs of the times…” (Matthew 16:3)

Right now, we are enjoying a ridiculous, record-breaking warm December. It's happening all across the Northeast and Midwest. Meteorologists are meticulously tracking the patterns of “El Nino”.

[Tweet "It’s crazy to think that we are still better at tracking weather patterns than spiritual seasons."]

And depending on where you live, that's not saying much! In Rochester, NY our poor weather crews have a crazy time making accurate predictions.

The Holy Spirit wants to help each of us in this area.

The disciples were asking Jesus when He would return and He said to them in Acts 1:7, “It’s not for you to know the day or the hour the Father has fixed by His own authority.”

[Tweet "It’s not time for us to know the day or the hour, but it is time for us to know the seasons. "]

I’m not a huge end-time guru. I’m not a conspiracy theorist.

I am interested in understanding the times and seasons in which we live. I’m not interested in trying to discern the season through a filter biased news media or widespread misconceptions.

Jesus came once and only a few people were accurately prepared.

[Tweet "I not only want to be prepared for Jesus' second coming, I want to be prepared for His daily coming in my life. "]

God loves to do things in seasons. There is a time and season for everything. (Ecclesiastes 3)

The apostle Paul insightfully weighed in on this topic discerning seasons and Jesus’ Second Coming as well.

5 1-3 I don’t think, friends, that I need to deal with the question of when all this is going to happen. You know as well as I that the day of the Master’s coming can’t be posted on our calendars. He won’t call ahead and make an appointment any more than a burglar would. About the time everybody’s walking around complacently, congratulating each other—“We’ve sure got it made! Now we can take it easy!”—suddenly everything will fall apart. It’s going to come as suddenly and inescapably as birth pangs to a pregnant woman.

4-8 But friends, you’re not in the dark, so how could you be taken off guard by any of this? You’re sons of Light, daughters of Day. We live under wide open skies and know where we stand. So let’s not sleepwalk through life like those others. Let’s keep our eyes open and be smart. People sleep at night and get drunk at night. But not us! Since we’re creatures of Day, let’s act like it. Walk out into the daylight sober, dressed up in faith, love, and the hope of salvation. (I Thessalonians 5, The Message, emphasis added)

The question is, “What time is it?”

If you had to put a name to the season you were just in, what would it be?

• How about the season you are in right now?
• What is the sense you have about the season you are about to step into?

This Christmas as you celebrate the season and prepare for the New Year, why not ask the Holy Spirit for some personal discernment on your season.

It’s a gift that no one else can give you yet one that everyone wants.

[Tweet "“Tis the season to know the season. Tis the season to know your season.” "]

Merry Christmas!!

photo credits: americansweetheartdesigns.tumblr.com, www.rejesus.co.uk, kdvr.com