Priceless Opportunities
Recently, I was talking with a friend about what a loving gesture it was when my daughter rubbed my feet with oils after a particularly difficult time. It was a picture of Mary anointing the feet of Jesus. That was a very extravagant expression of love to the Savior. As we know from Scripture, that was only a few days before Jesus died on the cross. On that early Easter morning, when the ladies went to the tomb to anoint Him, they found He was raised and gone — and the opportunity to anoint His precious feet had passed. I wonder if she realized what a once in a lifetime opportunity she was given, and she seized the moment.
Sometimes I think of those who are difficult to love… how long will we have them with us. Could this be the last opportunity to love them? Seize the moment to love the unlovable.
Once we are in Heaven, our thanksgiving will be complete and pure — nothing tainted with regrets or “I’d druthers” or selfishness. Pure thanksgiving that sees every situation for what it really is without misunderstandings. Pure worship and praise. No more offering up the sacrifice of praise that is a c hallenge because we do not like the situation, but we praise Him in the middle of it anyway. Once we are totally transformed, we will praise easily. Then we won ’t have the opportunity to offer the sacrifice of praise. Seize the moment to offer Jesus the most pleasing kind of praise and worship — that which costs us effort, courage.
God has given me several opportunities to go on mission trips. I pray hard over each trip and try to follow God’s leading whether it is to stay or to go. This year they have been pretty hard on me physically leaving me with limps and health issues, etc. This makes me question whether I am an asset or whether it’s time for me to lead from home. However, when God leads, I want to seize the moment. Once I get to Heaven, the time to dig wells, give water and love to the needy, or share His Word will be over. The time to serve Him when my feet hurt or when I’m sick and tired will be over and the time to praise Him when I don’t feel like it, will be over. I’m sure His feet were tired, but still He served. Serve Him while we can in whatever way He offers us to serve — not all of us are called to go on mission trips. But all of us can love or pray. Seize the moment.
2 Samuel 24:24b – I will not offer burnt offerings to the Lord my God which cost me nothing.