Sometimes opportunities present themselves during an inopportune time. So what makes it an inopportune time? When what we’d rather do outshines the importance of the available opportunity. Yesterday, our outside temperature was in the 60s. And in the middle of January no less! I would call that an opportunity. Earlier in the week Ryan and I had discussed making a trip to the landfill to get rid of various large broken things. I happened to be making food for potluck when I realized it was getting later in the morning and I knew rain was supposed to come later in the day. I decided to get Ryan out of his office and suggest we go on to the landfill. When I walked in, he was sitting at his desk, head in his hands, eyes closed. Granted he would usually have been in bed an hour and a half sooner on “normal” days. However, instead of telling him to go to bed I told him to load up the trailer! When would another day as nice as this come along before May or June? With some reluctance and a wistful look toward the bedroom, he went outside to prepare for our departure. Taking advantage of the opportunity we had today, caused Ryan to then wait several more hours before he was free to go to bed.
There’s a scene in the Bible where the disciples are supposed to be keeping watch and praying with Jesus but they are just too tired to prop their eyes open. Maybe they needed their wives there to remind them of the opportunity at hand! Jesus found them sleeping and said “What! Could you not watch with Me one hour? Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak” (Matthew 26:40-41). Jesus was not saying that sleep is a bad thing! There is a time and place for sleep but when certain opportunities arise, like being able to pray for your Lord, or go to the landfill on a 60 degree day in January, then sleep (and often other needs or desires) must be staved off for the greater good. Jesus tried to prepare the disciples for what was coming and if they had heeded His advice perhaps they would have fared better in the trials soon to follow.
After we celebrate the communion service later today, let us take note of what happened to the disciples and learn from their mistakes. Let us look for the opportunities we have each day to do the Lord’s will even if perhaps it is something we’d rather not do. We are also in the midst of the 10 Days of Prayer and what a great opportunity we have to compound our already increased prayer and devotion time with the humbling ordinance of communion. Day 2 of the 10 Days of Prayer was titled “Holiness unto the Lord.” For the moment, minutes, hours, maybe even days, after the celebrate the foot washing service and communion we are holy in the eyes of our Lord as He has cleansed us from our sin. “…But as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, ‘Be holy, for I am holy’” (1 Peter 1:15-16). The only way we can stay holy to is fully keep our focus on Jesus and to continually submit ourselves to Him.
I pray that all those who are able will not miss the opportunity today to worship, pray, be cleansed, and remember the death and resurrection of our Lord until He comes again.