Words from the Lord:
"You are never too late! Whatever your past may be, and even if you have messed up or missed out, do not worry. I make all things new. Keep looking to Me. Keep walking with Me. Keep praising. Keep worshiping. Keep receiving My Word. For I have not forgotten you. I will know how to redeem your lost time. I will know how to restore your lost opportunity. I will even set up many new divine appointments for you, going forward. Just do not limit how I am going to do it."
Ecclesiastes 9:11 (NKJV) says, 'The race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to men of understanding, nor favor to men of skill; but time and chance happen to them all.'
Before I explain this verse, let's go to the words 'time' and 'chance' here. The word 'time' here is 'eth' in Hebrew. In the context of this verse, it can mean 'the time that is appointed by the Lord'. The word 'chance' here is 'pega' in Hebrew. In the context of this verse, it can mean 'the Lord's divine appointment for you, the Lord's opportune time for you, or the Lord's right timing for you'.
There's time and season in everything. But one thing that you don't have to worry is the Lord knows exactly what is the best for you. He sees farther than you. In fact, He sees farther than anyone on this earth can. And in His time, He makes all things beautiful for you. Your part is to keep looking to Him and receiving from Him.
How to explain 'the swift', 'the strong', and 'the wise' in this verse? These speak of 'the swift, the strong, and the wise' in the worldly way, using merely human strength or human intelligence. You see, there are people in this world who do all these things without the Lord, or without acknowledging that the Lord is first and foremost in their lives.
The author of this Book of Ecclesiastes, i.e. King Solomon, had seen life enough to make a conclusion that it doesn't mean 'the swift, the strong, and the wise' will always translate into success, riches, or favor in life.
Now, don't get me wrong here. I am not teaching people to be lazy. If you are a student, do it the best you know how. If you have a career, do it the best you know how. If you are in ministry, give it your best, serving as unto the Lord. But in all our diligence and effort, know that the Lord has to be in the first place, and be the first and foremost in our lives. Why? Because it is the Lord who sets good things up for us in ways humans cannot.
In a more contemporary version of the Bible, say, The New Living Translation (NLT), the translators put it this way: 'The fastest runner doesn’t always win the race, and the strongest warrior doesn’t always win the battle. The wise sometimes go hungry, and the skillful are not necessarily wealthy. And those who are educated don’t always lead successful lives. It is all decided by chance, by being in the right place at the right time.'
Do you believe the Lord's 'eth' and 'pega' can happen to you too? Will you allow Him to cause good things to happen to you, and set up divine appointments for you, going forward? Yes, even this year!
As for me, I thank the Lord for the many 'eth' and 'pega', i.e. 'time' and 'chance', that He had already given to me, e.g. how I was saved, how I was healed, how I met my wife, how I answered His call to ministry, how He intervened in crucial junctures of my life, how He led me from one season to another, and the list goes on. And I know there will be more to come. Why? Because I believe that He is a good God.
Beloved, I want to believe the same for you too, be it in your relationship, in your career, in your business, in the ministry, or in every other area of your life. Amen!
