Then you answered and said to me, “We have sinned against the Lord; we will go up and fight, just as the Lord our God commanded us.” And when everyone of you had girded on his weapons of war, you were ready to go up into the mountain. (Deuteronomy 1:41)
As Moses continues relating this account to the people, he reminds them of a very important event that had unfortunate ramifications and provides for us an important principle to consider. When they were given the opportunity to enter the land they refused; faced with the consequence of that choice, they decided that they would enter the land except, by that time, God said, “No.” In fact, He warned them not to try and enter the land and especially not to fight the Amorites because He was no longer among them. It would seem then that, in some situations, there is a door of opportunity that allows us to step into what God has for us. However, it would also seem that the door may not remain open indefinitely.
It is very important that we are in the right place at the right time and — this is incredibly important — have the right attitude towards God’s purpose. If any one of these elements is missing, we may miss our opportunity to enjoy all of God’s blessing. For example the five wise virgins, having additional oil, were ready and prepared to make the journey to the wedding in spite of the fact that the bridegroom had delayed his coming. On the other hand, the five foolish virgins missed their opportunity because, when the bridegroom finally arrived, they were busy trying to purchase oil — something they should have already done. By the time they had everything needed, the door to the wedding was shut and they were not allowed in.
Being in the right place at the right time, ready to walk through the open door means that we have been listening, preparing and trusting that, though the promise may seem delayed, God’s purposes will come to pass — with or without us. So let us consider what Messiah said to the congregation of Philadelphia, a congregation that had kept His Word and persevered: “I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it” (Revelation 3:8). In short, because they had been faithful to endure and obey, they were positioned to go through the door of opportunity that God opened to them. They were to be pillars in the house of God, which is to say, they were to be positioned in places of power and influence as a testimony to God’s faithfulness to those who are faithful to Him. May it be that we are such a people — prepared to endure hardships and overcome the world for the sake of the Kingdom — ready to go through the door that leads to destiny.
Blessings and Shalom,
Bill
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