Time And Chance

“The race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all.”
Ecclesiastes 1:11 (KJV)

This scripture can be troubling if it is taken to mean that no matter how hard you run your race of life, you may not win, and that everything is a matter of chance. I don’t believe that and I hope that you don’t either.

*Jesus said that the very hairs of our head are numbered.
*He said not even a sparrow falls to the ground without him knowing, and that we are worth more than sparrows (Matthew 20:29-31).
*He is our ever-present help in time of need, who will never leave, nor forsake us (Hebrews 13:5).
*Galatians 6:7 says, “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” Also look at Galatians 6:9, “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.”

I believe that the title scripture can be a warning not to judge others who suffer, and serves as encouragement that if things go wrong, it is not a sign that we have sinned. In Luke 13:2 & 3, Jesus is talking to a group of people and says, “Suppose ye that these Galilaeans were sinners above all the Galilaeans, because they suffered such things? I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.”

God allows bad things to happen but promises that all these things will work together for good, and as it says in Hebrews 12:11, “yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness”.

Someone sent me a thought-provoking piece of prose that goes:

Happiness keeps You Sweet,
Trials keep You Strong,
Sorrows keep You Human,
Failures keep You Humble,
Success keeps You Glowing,
But Only God keeps You Going!

Prayer
You say that I am worth more than sparrows, Father in Heaven, and you know every hair on my head. Help me not to get discouraged, but to deal with the bad things that happen in life as a challenge to learn to be more like you.
Amen

Study by Nancy Silcox