Just One Life – Seize the Season by Sunny Prasad
The preacher started by quoting from crux of the book of Ecclesiastes – “Vanity”. Though King Solomon had all the worldly wealth and wisdom, everything was insignificant without God. He then spoke about the Chronos (Chronological Time) and the Kairos (Appointed time). When these two meet, i.e. when Kairos meet our Chronos – that is when a Divine Encounter takes place!!
Don’t run away without seizing the season! And if there could be something worse than death, it’s the regret of missed opportunity. Gen 25:29-34 “Now Jacob cooked a stew; and Esau came in from the field, and he was weary. And Esau said to Jacob, “Please feed me with that same red stew, for I am weary.” Therefore, his name was called Edom. But Jacob said, “Sell me your birth right as of this day.” And Esau said, “Look, I am about to die; so, what is this birth right to me?” Then Jacob said, “Swear to me as of this day.” So, he swore to him, and sold his birth right to Jacob. And Jacob gave Esau bread and stew of lentils; then he ate and drank, arose and went his way. Thus, Esau despised his birth right.” Esau succumbed to his lust – immediate gratification and sold his season for a mere bowl of soup. Though he diligently sought for repentance, he was rejected (Heb 12:17). He was tied-up to the calling of the world.
Next in the row was Judas. He could have easily become an apostle as he walked with Jesus and would have performed miracles like the other disciples. Though he leaned on Jesus’s bosom, he missed His heart-beat. He had outsourced what God had given to the devil. Matthew 26:14-16 “Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, “What are you willing to give me if I deliver Him to you?” And they counted out to him thirty pieces of silver. So, from that time he sought opportunity to betray Him.” Judas was the weak-link and Satan doesn’t need our permission to enter through this weak but open door. After having tasted Jesus, Judas wanted something that super-ceded Him. Judas was expected something more impressive than the King Himself! And perhaps when they counted the silver coins, Judas found its clinging sound more soothing than that which calmed the storms! Judas too like Esau, lost his season!
The highest expression of love is obedience. Where Judas failed, Moses succeeded. Though Moses was safe & cosy in the basket, he was drawn-out to his destiny. Moses like most of us, uses his muscle power to ‘save’ his people but ends up as a murderer. Though he was a prince he could do nothing without the King’s intervention. And the King, in His Kairos, catches Moses’ attention by the burning bush. Exodus 3:2-3 “And the Angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire from the midst of a bush. So, he looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, but the bush was not consumed. Then Moses said, “I will now turn aside and see this great sight, why the bush does not burn.” God reminded him that though he was old and physically burnt-up, he could be used by the Maker. Moses moved forward to see this burning bush and that one small step was the initial break through. And when God called him, his response was “Here I am” and the rest is history. To make the major movement of all times, God needed just that one right moment from Moses…his availability and obedience. The prodigal son was blessed when he took the initial step towards his father. The father blotted-out all his dreadful past and ran to embrace his son (Luke 15: 11-32). What an awesome Father He is and our responsibility is to be available for the Kairos moment and to seize the season!
Reflection by Reena Thomas