The Year of Opportunity

Reflecting on 2023, I wonder if I seized every opportunity for Kingdom growth. Therefore, I am challenging myself to explore the concept of the Year of Opportunity. As I look ahead to 2024, I must recognize and embrace future opportunities as an agent whose impact will bring glory to God instead of self-glory. I say such because Job exclaimed to God the following words:

 5 I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee. 6 Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes. (Job 42:5-6)

 Remembering what happened earlier and how Job lost everything and everybody except his integrity, this statement indicates that Job not only heard but saw God. Since the Scripture clarifies that no human can see God and live.  “…Thou canst not see My face, for there shall no man see Me and live. (Exodus 33:20) For such to occur, Job had to exercise his spiritual senses of hearing and seeing. Job visualized God with his spiritual eyes. Yet, when he visualized God, the reflection of God was so holy that Job uttered, I abhor myself. In other words, our finite beings cannot match the infinite God. When we become aware of the holiness of God, then we begin to realize our short-sightedness and backward mental processes, leading us to despise who we have become. The same activity occurred to Isaiah when King Uzziah died, and he had a vision of the temple of God in heaven.

Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell amid a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts. (Isaiah 6:5)

 Like Isaiah and Job, I, too, must realize that my insignificant, unholy being is worthless in the presence of the Almighty God. Yet, my only action to fulfill any desirable outcome consists in my action of repentance.

 Consequently, we must realize our insignificant, unholy selves as worthless in the presence of God. And the only action that we can do at any moment is repent. So, I begin my 2024 journey with the spirit of repentance while acknowledging the sovereignty of God, meaning that God has full range to do as He pleases, and all I can say and do is Yes, Lord. With a repentance spirit, I request another Year of Opportunity to work toward Kingdom growth on Earth. Amen and Amen!