By Not Known
Some people say that history repeats itself. I agree. In fact, it repeats itself many times. Look at the Israelites, God has spoken to them many times and yet they seemed not to have understood what God had said about their repeated mistakes and disobedience. God has to repeat his warnings and punishments through his prophets.
Positively speaking, history also repeats itself in terms of opportunities. The Greek word for opportunity as it appears in the Scriptures is kairos. Scholars tells us that it means “favourable opportunity.” Its derivatives imply “the right moment; that which lasts only for a while.” Kairos means a God-given opportunity is been offered to mankind at a specific moment in time. However, the word also implies there is a risk – a risk of faith. In other words, as time moves on, the opportunity can be missed.
God gave the Israelites many opportunities to show their allegiance and obedience to God. When they failed to seize the moments, the God-given opportunity, they failed God and had to face the consequences of their failure.
The word of the Lord came to both the prophet and the people. The invisible God becomes audible. Micah and other prophets responded to God’s calling to speak forth God’s word powerfully. Yet, the people simply turned their deaf ears, and missed the opportunities.
The events in the past week in the Middle East has been worrisome. The deaths along the southern coast of Java Island are again grim reminders. Could these be signals of the invisible God’s voice speaking? Or could it again be a reminder to us that we have to face the consequences of our disobedience? Or are we not reminded that time is short and there is much to be done?
Whatever the message, we need to seize the opportunity. We need to heed the prophets’ warning and to look around us to see what else needs to be done. Do we see and sense the urgency around us that people are dying without knowing the true hope> Are there people around us who have yet to know God? or do we still go on living our lives as though we are numb to what is happening around us?
This week, identity people you know who have yet to know Jesus personally and pray for them individually. Next week, seize the opportunity to bring them to church so that they may hear the gospel of hope.