The embrace, according to the Dictionary, is the action of kissing which means: squeeze, hug or squeeze with both arms. This translates here, in our context, the term to hold firm or to attach oneself firmly to an idea or a thing. There is also a time to kiss and a time to move away from the embraces. This is ” the principle of engagement and delay or disengagement. ” Let’s look at what does the Bible say about engagement?
“A time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing.” Ecclesiastes 3: 5.
What Does the Bible Say About Engagement?
In a man’s life, there is a time when he is devoted, engaged in an activity, or in the way. It’s the time of commitment. It is at this time when we are more than motivated and determined either in an activity, or the way, or a thought. This can be translated into zeal, enthusiasm, a craze for a person or a thing. But at this point, you also have to know how to get involved.
Yes, to zeal. But to a zeal for a noble and lawful cause. It is not bad to give yourself body and soul to a thing or a relationship. But what can be bad is to whom or what do we do body and soul? For whom or for what are we zealous? What are we infusing? Here’s the question.
It Is Only Our Creator Who Deserves Our Zeal
And at this level, the only Being who deserves our zeal, our ardor, our craze: it is our Creator. As the book of Deuteronomy 6: 4 demonstrates, ” Listen, Israel! Jehovah, our God, is the only LORD. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. As for the love that we must have for our neighbor, this love must relate to God first. ”
For to love a human being or a creature of God more than the Creator, the Eternal God is idolatry. But idolatry is condemned by God. We must also love the things (the business, the work) of God.
As the Bible advises, “… seek the things above, where Christ sits at the right hand of God. Affect the things above, not the things on the earth. ” Colossians 3: 1-2 (Version Ostervald). It is to those things to which we are called to have zeal and to attach ourselves ardently to them.
In an active life too, we can be engaged in our work, our activity, or something else. However, we must not put ourselves under pressure, in a state of obsession, or extreme passion. We must do everything in moderation and with full awareness.
Love to God Is Limitless
As for the expression of ”the principles of engagement and delay or disengagement ”, it applies to contexts. When it comes to the love of God and the things of God, it is limitless; there is no time to disengage or to procrastinate. However, when we carry out a spiritual activity, the work of God, it is very often to temporize and not to disengage. So, this is what does the Bible says about engagement.
What Does the Bible Say About Delay?
Often, we need to take a temporary break to evaluate our efforts, our businesses, and their spin-offs and especially to spend time thinking: Am I really still in the Lord’s vision? Have not I gone outside the frame of God’s will and the mission he has entrusted to us? Am I not going wrong? Did not I abuse my zeal? …
This delay is necessary. From the moment it allows us to reorient our zeal and especially to make it more effective. Because it often happens that we think well (in the form) – However (in the background) we are going wrong either from the beginning, or during, or towards the end. This principle of procrastination also has its source where there are times when we feel our zeal, our commitment to God or his work diminishes. Yes, it can happen. As can be heard for example in the mouth of the Wise in these words: ” For seven times the righteous fall, and he arises …” – Proverbs 24:16. The righteous, that is to say, the child of God can go through a time of delay, but not abandonment. As it says, ” So do not give up your insurance, which is attached a great remuneration. For you need perseverance, that after you have done the will of God, you will obtain what is promised to you … We are not of those who withdraw to be lost but of those who have faith to save their souls. ” Hebrews 10: 35-36, 39.
The Lord Allows a Time of Redemption
But concerning the expression of disengagement. When there has been a time when we are engaged in evil ways, where we have become fond of the things of the world – either out of ignorance – the Lord allows a time of redemption. Yes, it is the time of disengagement, the period when we feel the need and the firm need to give up our bad life, our bad way. It is synonymous with the time of repentance and returns to God.
And God always gives time to every human being on this earth to become aware of his evil way or his spiritual misery because his wish is that we are saved and that we are happy; only by doing his will and remaining attached to his work and interest. But when we remain insensitive and indifferent to his call, we risk the hardening of the heart which leads to stubbornness and then misguidance.
It is up to us to know how to take advantage of the time of commitment/dedication, as well as that of procrastination, or even of disengagement: and this is only realized in the will of God, according to his time and his manner.
In everyday life, it is not uncommon to experience moments when we feel disinterestedness in an activity or our work or for a relationship that we have. Yes, this moment can happen in a man’s life. Only need to know how to overcome or surpass that moment.
This moment is favored by the fact that our morale takes a hit or that we have met with a demotivation or a disappointment. When this moment comes, we must seek to recover and have self-control. In this case, do not make a decision or direction or resolution or make choices in a rush. It is unwise to make choices or make a decision under the influence of shocked moral or become low after an incident. Especially when we are at the heart of such a period.