During our semi-annual trip to South Africa, rebel fighters bombed the oil pipeline in Zimbabwe. It left thousands of people on their Christmas holiday stranded for weeks without fuel. We managed to get across the border just before everything shut down. When our two-week stay at the mission headquarters and shopping neared an end, we knew we had to plan for an alternate route back north to Zambia—not an easy task. We headed home through Botswana and across the Kalahari Desert. After an exhausting two days down dusty unpaved bumpy roads, we were nearing the border crossing into Zambia. It was late afternoon as we rushed the final few miles praying we would reach the ferry across the Zambezi River before it closed for the night. We had only one remaining opportunity for crossing that day. If we missed this window of time, we faced staying in our vehicle overnight in the war tore Caprivi Strip bordering Angola. Thankfully, we arrived just in time to cross the half-mile wide Zambezi River. This was an adventure in itself. With our truck full of supplies and with our two children, I drove on the ferry constructed from old oil drums with a worker who would pull it across with ropes. Yet, this was far safer even with the crocodiles than waiting for a morning opportunity.
We know the Lord is the God of second chances. However, some opportunities may come around only once. These occasions may never happen again or will take a lengthy time before it recurs. After Cyrus released the exiles to return to Israel, a group of Jews remained in Persia. Under the reign of Artaxerxes, Haman, his prime minister, devised a plot to exterminate all the Jews. Through God’s providence, the King chose Esther, a young Jewish girl to be Queen. When the plot was about to come to fruition, her uncle Mordecai told her she must intervene to the King because this may be the reason she had become Queen. And who knows whether you have not attained royalty for such a time as this (Est 4:14)? The Hebrew word for such a time means ‘window of opportunity’.
We all face ‘windows of opportunity’. But remember windows not only open, they also close. When God opens a window for us, we may have a limited time frame to act before the window will close. When the Lord made a way for Israel to cross the overflowing Jordan River, it lasted only long enough for the Children of Israel to enter Canaan. When the priest stood in the water on the river’s edge, the water began rolling back. They advanced step by step as it dropped until they were standing with the Ark of the Covenant on dry ground. God provided a ‘window of opportunity’ for Israel to cross. However, a point arrived and their window of opportunity closed. The waters of the Jordan once again returned to flood stage. Imagine for a moment if there had been a family doubtful of crossing and decided to think about it one more day. They would find themselves stranded and alone on the Eastern banks with no way of across or wait for months until the waters subsided.
All believers encounter opportunities and decisions. First, we must decide if it is an opportunity from God or is it only an open door not His will. Two extreme reactions can take place. A person with an impulsive attitude might jump immediately through the window. Others ponder endlessly and over analyze until the opportunity is gone. Jesus said we are to count the cost. For which one of you, when he wants to build a tower, does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if he has enough to complete it (Lk 14:28)? Esther acted responsibly. Her most challenging cost was no one could enter the King’s presence without being asked. The penalty resulted in death. Esther requested the Jews to fast and pray for three days. She and her maidens would do the same. She committed to her task. And thus I will go in to the king, which is not according to the law; and if I perish, I perish” (Est 4:16). Esther didn’t act impulsive or take a lengthy time to decide. Had I waited to rethink crossing the Zambezi on this rickety ferry until the next opportunity, we would have been stranded in a dangerous war zone and possibly killed by rebels.
When Jesus was entering Jericho, a blind man heard he would pass by. He saw an opportunity and cried out even through the crowd tried to stop him. He would not miss this change of gaining his sight. Jesus heard him and healed him. Traveling on to town center Zaccheus, the chief tax collector, determined to seize this opportunity to see Jesus. He climbed up into a sycamore tree; Jesus saw him and stayed at his house that night. What the blind man and Zaccheus didn’t know, this window of opportunity was closing. This was the last time Jesus passed this way. He was on His journey to Jerusalem where He would be crucified.
Sustaining Word for the Week: Has the Holy Spirit given you a window of opportunity? Who knows for such a time as this it has opened. It is time to take action before it closes.