Bible Reading: Proverbs 24
It is so amazing that God’s affirmations are not dependent on man’s proclamations. The word ‘opportunity’, often times when used by man, is heralded as something that can only show up ones and when not maximized, it fades into oblivion. This belief has made believers to continue in sin, businesses to fold up, students and professionals to settle for average and dreams to become nightmares. This is because of the general mindset that your first attempt should be and bring the best.
With God, it’s a different ball game. Proverbs 24:16 (NIV) says “for though a righteous man falls seven times, he rises again”. ‘Whhoosshh!’ That man fumbles with the opportunity to be righteous seven bright times, but God was right on time, to present another. Jonah abused his first opportunity to preach to the people ofNineveh, but God gave him another. Peter denied Jesus thrice, but he later became a great apostle. Even brother Samson was given another opportunity to destroy the Philistines. I only know of Judas Iscariot, who after betraying Jesus, did not dare to believe there could be a ‘next opportunity’, and being burdened by guilt, he went and hung himself.
Although we may not have hung ourselves physically, but most times we hang our potentials, creativity, love, service, talents, gifts, trust, help, good works and desire for success. We try to judge the future with the past and feel if we couldn’t make it yesterday despite our rigorous effort, there is no assurance that we’ll make it today/tomorrow. That’s the devil’s lie and it is not meant for your consumption.
Are you currently comfortable with sin because you feel it is impossible for you to display righteousness? Did you narrowly lost a job/contract? Did you ever fail an exam you don’t have the courage to face again? Did you ever take a bold step into loss in your business? Have you been jilted before and you’ve vowed never to love again? Have you misused and abused the opportunity to be a blessing to people in time past? Please don’t go the way of Judas Iscariot, because God is bringing another bigger and better opportunity to you and you can still be a victor where you were once a victim.
Although God doesn’t expect you to handle today’s opportunities with a slack hand under the umbrella that another will show up, of course that will mean settling for foolishness, but one thing is certain: He is bringing another opportunity for you to display righteousness where you’ve sinned before; to succeed where you have failed; to rise where you’ve fallen; to be a victor where you were once a victim. When it comes, give your best possible to maximize it. Your next attempt could be the best you desire.
– tope aladenusi
It is commonly said that a hungry man is an angry man, a little wonder why most people’s actions during the period of hunger suddenly become unapproachable. For some married men, all you will be telling them at home at such periods certainly will have to fall into the dunghill. While some just suddenly begin to find fault, others remain unnecessarily quiet, calm, and weak as though they just lost a battle. Mostly, we create an uneasy environment for people around us just because they are trying to help.
In Acts 10: 9-10, members of Peter’s household were just at the nick of time trying to help him pacify his hunger. I try to imagine how fast and swift they must have been doing this, but I suddenly discovered that the hungry man (Peter) made a historical move against convention and norms. Instead of shouting, wailing, finding faults, complaining, and lamenting, he simply moved to a lonely place such as the roof top to do something unimaginable at the heat of hunger, (TO PRAY). “The next day, as they were on their way and coming near Joppa, Peter went up on the roof of the house about noon in order to pray. He became hungry and wanted something to eat; while the food was being prepared, he had a vision” (GNB).
Prayer is always the last thing people think of when hungry. As a matter of fact, people only pray at such times when they are financially broke and there is no means of finding solution to the problem on ground; then their pray will certainly be for God to provide a means of supply to them. Instead of creating funny scenarios and making everyone around you feel uncomfortable because you are hungry, why not take out time to pray, perhaps you could come out from the place of prayer with great revelations beneficial to someone and yourself if you do so. Jesus likewise did the same thing in John 4: 6-8, when he turned the period of hunger which made His disciples to go buy food to a time of blessing the Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well.“Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus, tired out by the trip, sat down by the well. It was about noon. A Samaritan woman came to draw some water, and Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink of water.” (His disciples had gone into town to buy food.)”(GNB)
Please the next time you are hungry, find a corner to pray, it could the golden opportunity you need to hear from God and receive a revelation on what is about to take place.
-adeyiga awomuti