Now is the Time of His Favor!
(2Co 6:1-2)
God is everlasting.
He has no beginning or end, and
Everything that He does endures forever (Ecc 3:14).
Faith is loving Him and
The life of this faith is wisely using one's limited time and exchanging it with eternity.
If land or a seed misses timing, it cannot produce crop (He 6:7).
Likewise, if a man misses his productive years,
He becomes a useless person.
Thus, the matter of success and failure depends on seizing the opportunity (Ecc 3:1-8).
Deceived by the devil,
Adam sinned (Ge 3:4-6) and
All men were demoted as slaves of the devil (2Pe 2:19) and
Lost the earthly paradise (Ge 3:24).
The Bible illustrates stories of those who
Seized the given opportunity and changed their fate:
Abraham received a son at the age of 100;
Jacob stole his brother's birthright and blessing (Ge 25:31-34, Ge 27:1-46); and
David cut off the head of the enemy and
Became the son-in-law to the king, and eventually a king himself (2Sa 6:8-11).
It also tells stories of those who missed their chances
Though they sought with tears later, such as Esau (He 12:16-17).
The sanctuary reminded them this for generations.
Jesus said, "Destroy this temple and I will raise it in three days (Jn 2:19-20), because
Through the death and the resurrection of the temple of His body,
He would use His time as the Son of Man - which was
When the Law reigned (Gal 4:4-5),
The Greek language was spread across the land and
The Roman Empire had built the roads.
As Jesus died, he said, "It is finished (Jn 19:30), declaring that He:
1. Laid down His life and exchanged it with eternal life (Jn 10:17);
2. Condemned the devil who misused his given opportunity (Is 14:12-15; Eze 28:12-17); and
3. With His blood redeemed men and gave them another chance.
He rose and sat on the heavenly throne and
He is the Lamb.
The Holy Spirit came to the world and
The Era of Grace began thereafter:
The time of God's favor, the day of salvation (2Co 6:2).
A man who received His favor is he who,
For the rest of His days in the flesh (Ge 5:13)
No longer lives for a moment but for eternity.
Therefore, he does not miss the opportunity to
Worship, belong to the church and serve for
It is his chance to encounter Jesus.
Rather than becoming like
The fig tree (Mt 21:18-19) or the five virgins who lost their chances (Mt 25:1-13),
He seizes his opportunity like Mary (Lk 1:34-38), the thief crucified next to Jesus (Lk 23:42-43),
The blind Bartimaeus (Mk 10:46-52), and the woman who broke the perfume (Mt 14:6-9),
For he longs to exchange his life with eternity
When the Lord comes back.
O Lord,
Let us all realize that
A chance is given only once, and
If it is a spiritual one,
Let us not yield the opportunity.
Let us seize this time of Your favor, this day of salvation!
Amen.
