Ecclesiastes 9:10-11—”Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the realm of the dead, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom.
I have seen something else under the sun:
The race is not to the swift
or the battle to the strong,
nor does food come to the wise
or wealth to the brilliant
or favor to the learned;
but time and chance happen to them all.”
It is Monday today. Many people are thinking ‘Ohhh! Back to the grind’. Hey! At least we have a job, business or family to get back to? God has given us good health, mind and body to take on the roles we have?
The Bible says that the righteous and wicked are given time on earth. The destiny of both are in God’s hands. All our bodies will disintegrate some day. The wicked die but noone remembers them, their deeds or dreams. However, chosen people have a hope. We know we are given a chance to redeem ourselves—to change to righteousness—during our life. God intends that we work at change alongside living our life to the fullest. (We must: serve God heartily at every opportunity, work out our salvation with all that is within us, determine what we can do for God’s glory and do it with all our might. Maybe this is our last chance?!) Once we are dead, we cannot work, plan, or have wisdom or knowledge. It will be too late to attain eternal life. Then, we cannot mend the errors of our life, repent, or make our peace with God. We must do it now – or never!
None can predict misfortune or success. It is not the fastest, strongest or wisest who sees success. We humbly depend on God from whom man’s judgement proceeds. When we succeed, we praise God. We call it ‘chance’ but God judges through His overruling power and providence. It teaches us to steer away from self-reliance and be subject to His divine Will. Father God, thank you for your Word. Help us to be humble and depend on you in every area of our life. Help us to discern and seize every opportunity released for us to serve others and redeem ourselves, to be closer to you. In Jesus name…Amen.
