Whether it is a photo opportunity, a brief moment in a personal encounter, or an event that passes quickly, we often only have a short time to respond. Our response is a reflection of what is already in the heart. During those same opportunities, it is often said, “He who hesitates is lost.” Let me give an illustration and a story.
The illustration below has some background. It had been a long day on the road. We stopped in the little town of Van Horn, Texas for the night. The vehicle was parked and we were ready to rest. I went out in the cool but windy February air. The stars were masked by clouds. I glanced to the west and saw a partial hole in sky that revealed a new moon with Venus. By the time I grabbed a sketch pad, most of the scene had vanished. In five minutes it was gone, but I had committed the scene to memory, grabbed supplies quickly, and recorded what was seen. I could have easily missed the opportunity to see the conjunction of these two bodies.
So it is with God as He often beckons people to respond to Him in situations. Very seldom is it with fireworks, a prepared opportunity to our specifications, or an extended time. He knows that what is in the heart of each person will show an inclination toward Him or away. Scene after scene in the Gospels show opportunity after opportunity where people respond one way or the other. However, most opportunities are brief, unplanned from our perspective, and challenge us to take stock about what is important. If He is important, a person will yield to Him. If we are important, a person will not yield to Him. Opportunities pass quickly, like our lives pass quickly. As the scripture says the sketch, our lives are like a mist. Opportunities come and go. So do our lives. It is best to respond to God in situations when they occur. Another opportunity may come to deal with such things; it may not.
The same is true for a believer as he grows in grace through life. God often tests our mettle in real situations. Sometimes we get it right; sometimes we have to repent and get retested, which brings me to a second story. We were with friends one day a few years ago. I saw someone in a wheelchair and really felt I should pray for the person. I missed the opportunity while debating whether to do it. When I mentioned it to my friend a little while later, he had the same experience when he saw the same person. We looked for the person, but to no avail. We both repented and prayed for the person. What might have happened if we had responded in faith quickly? It’s things like this that teach us what is or is not within us. God does not need to know; we do, because He loves us and continues to work in our circumstances to make us more like Him. He persisted with the disciples; He persists with us. But, life is short and opportunities are numbered. Do not waste them.
So when I see scenes like the one with the moon and Venus, it reminds me to respond quickly. And, by God’s grace, to respond by faith…correctly and immediately.
