We have our moments

“Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.”  Isaiah 7:14

Several years ago, my wife and I visited the Churchill Museum in the Westminster district of London.  It was a fascinating place and every bit as inspirational; we both agreed that our two hours there could easily have been four or more.  Yet more impressionable than all the facts and artifacts was a deeper appreciation of one person raised up and called to a momentous point in history.  No one could have been more ideally suited to lead the world against Germany’s Third Reich than England’s Winston Churchill. 

History has its cycles and patterns: civilizations come and go; wars are won and lost; leaders rise and fall.  As Solomon would say, there is nothing new under the sun.  To this, however, we might add an exception: Christ will never be crucified again.  He was born once for all mankind, he was crucified once for all time and he rose from the dead, never to taste death again. 

And chosen to usher in this singular pivot point in time was a young, unwed Middle-eastern girl, named Mary.  We don’t know much about her, but what we do know is enough: she was highly favored and the Lord was with her.  When called to bear the Anointed One foretold for millennia prior, she responded humbly, “I am the Lord's servant.  May it be to me as you have said” (Luke 1:38). 

So too have we been raised up, for a lifetime of “moments,” actually.  Who, for instance, is better suited to teach your children about Jesus than you?  Who is better positioned to introduce him to a trusting friend than you?  And haven’t we all seen “open doors” through which God has called us to step into just-in-time ministry, be it sharing Christ, telling others what he has done for us, or serving people in his name? 

Certainly each one of us are called to the “good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” (Ephesians 2:10).  Will the history texts of tomorrow bear our names?  No, likely not.  But there is a place where we will read our names along with those of everyone who trusts in Christ, including those who believe through our testimony.  It’s called “the Lamb’s book of life” (Revelation 21:27).  And it stands as inspiration for us to step into all our moments with anticipation, confidence and joy. 

Lord, grace me to hear your call today and obey.  And be glorified through this servant of yours.  Amen. 

[Click here to see the daily reading in Isaiah 7:10-15.]