When God leads us to opportunity, we must seize it

I recently came across this story from the Old Testament.

A prophet of God comes to the king overlooking a vast army threatening to invade. The prophet tells the king that the army in front of him will be given over to him so that the King will know that the Lord is the Lord alone. The king responds in a very strange an interesting manner.

"Then he (the king) said, 'Who shall begin the battle?' He (the prophet) answered, 'You.'"

So despite tremendous trepidation he gathers the people and they go.

We each have these moments that intersect our lives. Instances when we must grab the opportunity that we have been prepared for our entire lives. Moments that God has led us to so we might know Him.

I've been caught up in post-season baseball. Watching the tension unfold in front of my eyes of months of work and effort to grab the title of champion possibly coming close only to be replaced with the thrill of late-inning comebacks has been incredible. In all the post-season baseball -- no matter the team no matter or stadium -- each player is met with the challenge of taking the skills that they have spent a lifetime developing and using them to seize the moment right in front of them.

Daily we face the opportunities to seize or to walk away from challenges.

The interesting thing about this king is he wasn't a hero. According to the scriptures he did what was evil in the sight of the Lord.

The Lord took this moment in front of him as part of the greater story that he was writing. The victory against insurmountable odds wasn't to show the king, the nation or their enemies how great the king was. The great picture was to reveal in an undeniable way to the king, his people and their enemies that the Lord is the Lord and there is no other.

God will use the divine moments in front of us that he leads us to grab ahold of to increase our faith in who He is. We are led through those moments that so clearly could not happen if it weren't for God.

The incredible circumstance you are facing. The overwhelming conditions that surround you. God can work through them to increase your faith in Him.

You can trust Him no matter how overwhelming things look.

Rob Hurtgen is a husband, father, minister and writer. Read more from him at www.robhurtgen.wordpress.com.