The Race is Not To The Swift Ecc. 9:11

They whom are called by grace shall know While here they journey on; Here they must bear both joy and woe, And live in Christ alone.

His suff'rings too, must also know While they're so far from home.

Again, their spirits must return And view below the sun; Again this lesson they must learn While here their race they run.

That the race is not to the swift, Nor battle to the strong; Nor bread to those with wisdom's gift Or wealth to these belong.

No special favor to the skilled With all the work they've done; For all the things in earth they build, And all man's praise they've won.

Man can't determine his own time, Because He's ruled by God; For man is subject to his clime, And to this earthly clod.

As fishes taken in a net, And birds found in a snare, So trouble will man's plans upset And lay his prospects bare.

War may suddenly on them fall When born in evil time; Earth's pain and strife their souls appall With tyrant's greed and crime.

With prosperity's decadence Again through sin they fall; Know the attending barreness, That falls on nations all.

Satan has built his bulwarks there Against God's chosen few; Against their city laid his lair, With his old retinue.

On this battlefield see Christ walk, And there fulfill His will; And sometimes to us He will talk, With consolation fill;

For Time and Chance to man will come, And happens to us all; But here's the truth God gives to some, When He to them does call:

Fate, Time and Chance, with Circumstance, With God shall ne'r befall, With Him there is no Happenstance, Whose Mind before, saw all;

So with the wise man we behold, That man can't find out God; Or know His Purpose from of Old, Though labor as he would.

His Purpose, angels can't assign, Or say, "What doest Thou?"; And for His reason, thus consign, To human reason bow.

For who hath known the Holy Mind, Or fathomed God's Own Will?; Our happy lot in time will find To passively lie still;

In peace to know it's all of Him, And He'll do all His Will; Though with us the view's bright or dim, His Purpose He'll fulfill.

They whom are called by grace shall know While here they're trav'ling on; Through this way do God's glory show, And live to Christ alone.

His suff'rings too, they also know While trav'ling on to home.