Time and Chance | Ecclesiastes 9:11-18

The more we try to control everything around us, the more out of control everything seems to become. That is because there is no escape from life’s sudden pressures and dangers. Our money, status, even wisdom and righteousness cannot insulate us from all the disasters that happen in the world. We only need to look back to 2020 to find an event that happened unexpectedly and forever changed our lives. Life’s unpredictability humbles us and forces us to acknowledge the limits of our own understanding. God uses time and chance to show us a better way forward than trusting ourselves: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6Take-Home Message: Time and chance redirect my trust.Time and Chance Explained (11-12)A Biblical Definition of Time and Chance: The unpredictable elements of life that happen to everyone, regardless of status, wisdom, or righteousness. In context, it may refer to the sudden pressures and dangers of life.21st Century Examples of Time and Chance • 2001 – The September 11 Attacks • 2007 – Apple releases the first iPhone • 2008 – The Financial Crisis • 2020 – The COVID-19 PandemicBiblical Examples of Time and Chance • Joseph and the preservation of God’s people (Genesis 50:20) • Ruth and the lineage of God’s Son (Ruth 4:17) • Esther and the deliverance of God’s people (Esther 4:14)Time and Chance Illustrated (13-18)Time and Chance Applied • I cannot always win, but I can always be wise. • I cannot always understand, but I can always trust God. • I cannot always be in control, but I can always be confident that God is in control.