An Opportunity

My reading plan is taking me chronologically through the New Testament and I'm in Acts now. I have a New Living Translation Bible that I often read for the simple pleasure of hearing God's voice and that's the one I'm using for this plan.

Back to the opportunity...Chapters 3 and 4 of Acts are some of my favorite stories in the Bible. Peter and John are entering the temple and a cripple man asks them for money. They don't have any money, so they heal the man. The man then goes leaping and praising God into the Temple with Peter and John. All the people are amazed and stand watching him next to Peter and John. Chapter 3, verse 12 says, "Peter saw his opportunity and addressed the crowd." Boldly Peter tells them the truth-this man's faith in Jesus, the one they crucified, healed him. Peter doesn't concern himself with being politically correct, but seizes the opportunity to proclaim the goodness and mercy of Jesus.

For the past week I've had the opportunity to watch a lot of television. I had surgery a week ago and am confined to doing basically nothing for a couple of weeks. So I read, sleep, eat and watch t.v.! The national news has always been something I keep up with and I've pretty much overdosed on it this week. It's been amazing to watch people be so careful, no matter what the topic or their opinion. Political correctness is at an all time high and the truth of one's convictions seems to have sufferred. May it not be so with us as believers.

May we always proclaim the truth of God's Word and "see" the opportunities that God allows us to share His goodness and mercy. Matthew 24:14 says, "Heaven and earth will disappear, but my words will never disappear." Our opportunities may not come on a national news program. They may be sitting at our kitchen table or standing in line at the grocery store. Where ever God allows, don't miss the opportunity. Be ready. Stay in the Word.