Time and Chance

It is the last day of the decade and a gazillion thoughts cascade through my mind: 

• What did I learn the last ten years that brought growth and will help me be a better leader?  
• What mistakes did I make that I dare not repeat? 
• What were the significant milestones, blessings and joy-makers?
• Did suffering and setbacks shape me to be even more in love with God than ever before?  
• Does technology seem out of control? People spend so much time on their smart phones and devices that healthy social interaction is seriously diseased.

• Don’t focus on problems.  Focus on Jesus.  
• Leadership training is desperately needed in every country on the planet.
• Clifton strengths is a life-changer, perhaps the best gift leaders can give their organization and the most powerful expression of Psalm 139:14-16 and Proverbs 8:23 I have ever witnessed.
• Social media—properly used, serves as a fantastic tool for networking, reconnecting and remaining current with friends and vision-casting.
• Attention spans and patience seem to shorten as the speed of technology quickens.
• Gravity increases with aging; time speeds up as well (principles not taught in physics).
• Scripture is truly a God-send.  Wisdom is infinitely gained with Bible immersion.
• Change is a given—best to have an open attitude and be willing to adapt.
• Humility is a rare trait and incredibly valuable—those leaders who model it gain trust and achieve much.   Be like Jesus.  

 
Meditation
Ecclesiastes 9:11—Again I saw under the sun that the race is not to the swift, or the battle to the strong, or bread to the wise, or riches to the discerning, or favor to the skillful; rather, time and chance happen to all of them.
1 Peter 1:17—And if you address as Father the One who judges impartially based on each one’s work, you are to conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your temporary residence.
 
Time and chance reign on earth.  And while it is important to understand this it is even more important to know and trust the Maker of time and Arranger of chance.  Nothing escapes the sovereign will of God and every period is ordered under His eternal composition.  Solomon saw both (everything) as futile (Ecclesiastes 12:8) yet, he concluded in Ecc. 12:14, “For God will bring every act to judgment, including every hidden thing, whether good or evil.”  His observation is remarkably similar to what Peter wrote in the Meditation above.  
            
Within the reality of time and chance exists our responsibility: to love God with all our heart, mind, soul and strength—which reveals reverence towards Him; to value work—all we do we do as for Him; to learn and discern His will—so as to obey Him; and, to operate by faith—comfortable with what is unseen knowing that “. . . all things work together for the good of those who love God: those who are called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28). 
           
​So happy New Decade!  Rise above time and chance.  Celebrate the victory that is yours forever in Christ.  Let your attitude and conduct reveal godliness.  Something to think about . . . in reveration!  
 
Inspiration
Out of the future that is not yet, into the present that is just becoming, back to the past that no longer is.—Saint Augustine
 
©2019 Daniel York  ARR.  Reveration is the weekly devotional ministry of First Cause.  If you would like to receive these devotionals go to www.firstcause.org and click on the “Click here to receive weekly devotionals” box.  Unlimited permission to copy this devotional without altering text or profiteering is allowed subject to inclusion of this copyright notice.      
 
Ecclesiastes 12:10-The Teacher sought to find delightful sayings and to accurately write words of truth.  (Holman CSB)