ECCLESIASTES 9:11: “I have observed something else under the sun. 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.” NLT

OBSERVATION: Is life just a roll of the dice? Does everything happen by chance, or is there a predetermined destiny for each person? These questions have been debated for centuries. Some see all of life determined by predestination, and others simply by man’s free will. How we view life will determine how we live it and how we interact with others.

Solomon was the wisest man who ever lived. Yet, Solomon was also one of the most flawed men who ever lived. The book of Ecclesiastes is Solomon’s attempt to make sense out of life through wisdom and logic. Each time he tries to do this, he fails. He tries to find the meaning of life in wisdom, pleasure, accomplishments, status, and even folly. His conclusion is always the same…

“Everything is meaningless,” says the Teacher, “completely meaningless!” (Ecclesiastes 1:2 NLT)

In Ecclesiastes 9:11, Solomon observes what frustrates everyone. The fastest runner loses the race. The strongest person loses the battle. The wise go hungry. The skillful person never becomes successful. The educated never achieve their full potential. Life seems like a game of craps, just a roll of the dice. It is all just a matter of chance, being in the right place at the right time.

I have felt that way many times. I have listened to a gifted singer at church and thought, “Why aren’t they playing for thousands?” I have also listened to professional entertainers and wondered, “How did they ever make it?” So much of this life is left to chance. In the music industry, we hear the same story:

“They were in the right place at the right time!”

Yet, this is not the Christian perspective. Solomon is not writing his analysis from the position of a born-again believer. He is writing from a completely human plane. He is exploring life as it is without divine intervention. We can all agree that, without God in our lives, life is just a matter of chance. Yet, when a person turns his or her life to Jesus Christ, a dramatic transformation occurs, and all of life changes!

“…No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.” (1 Corinthians 2:9 NLT)

“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11 NLT)

“This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” (2 Corinthians 5:17 NLT)

The verses above give a completely different view of life from Solomon’s. Solomon was looking at life from a human perspective. We are called to look at life “In Christ”, from a godly perspective. Our life in Christ is filled with purpose, hope, and a definite plan. God personally calls, equips, and guides us into our eternal destiny. Our lives are not determined merely by being at the right place at the right time. Our lives, our steps, are determined by the Lord!

“The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the Lord holds them by the hand.” (Psalms 37:23-24 NLT)

So does this mean Solomon was completely wrong? Is everything in life predestined by God? What part does free will have to play in our lives? I am not trying to open up the centuries-old theological debate. I merely want to point out two facts. (1) Everyone is subject to chance, even the believer. (2) Everyone has a choice to make in how they will respond to life. Even the believer can choose to ignore the plans God has made for them. Free will and God’s destiny are always in tension.

The key is obedience to the leading of the Holy Spirit!

“Therefore, dear brothers and sisters, you have no obligation to do what your sinful nature urges you to do. For if you live by its dictates, you will die. But if through the power of the Spirit you put to death the deeds of your sinful nature, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.“ (Romans 8:12-14 NLT)

Today, I may get in my car, drive down the road, pick up a nail, and have a flat tire. I was not predestined to have a flat tire. This happened by chance. Yet, how I respond to the flat tire is a matter of my free will. I can respond from a human perspective, or I can be led by the Spirit of God. One will produce anger and frustration; the other will lead me into the pathway of God’s provision and peace.

The question remains: Which path will I choose?

Heavenly Father, I thank You that You have saved me for a purpose! You have called me to a life that is filled with hope for the future. Even in moments of chance, Your hand is ready to lead and provide. Grant me the grace to choose life in the Spirit over a simple life of chance. Thank You that in Christ, everything in life has been redeemed from futility and is being transformed into an eternal destiny and purpose!

In Jesus’ Name!