The Tide of Opportunity

Numbers 13-14

In Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, “Brutus and Cassius are discussing the final phase of their civil war with the forces of Octavian and Marcus Antonius. Cassius has been urging that they group their forces at Sardis and take advantage of the secure location to catch their breath. Brutus, however, advocates heading off the enemy at Philippi before Octavian can recruit more men. Brutus' main point is that, since "the enemy increaseth every day" and "We, at the height, are ready to decline" (lines 216–217), he and Cassius must act now while the ratio of forces is most advantageous. "There's a tide in the affairs of men," he insists; that is, power is a force that ebbs and flows in time, and one must "go with the flow." Waiting around only allows your power to pass its crest and begin to ebb; if the opportunity is "omitted" (missed), you'll find yourself stranded in miserable shallows.”  http://www.enotes.com/shakespeare-quotes/there-tide-affairs-men

Hear the words of Brutus:

“There is a tide in the affairs of men,

Which taken at the flood, leads on to fortune.

Omitted, all the voyage of their life is bound in shallows and in miseries.

On such a full sea are we now afloat.

And we must take the current when it serves, or lose our ventures.”

(Julius Caesar Act 4, scene 3, 218–224)

Dennis Kinlaw writes, “There is a ‘tide in the affairs of men’ that if seized leads to greatness.  If it is missed, one is left to wander.  Opportunities do not stand waiting at the door.  Are you among those who wander?” (This Day with the Master, March1).

When the tide of Divine opportunity is met with our disobedience, it results in our wandering.  When the tide of Divine opportunity is met with our obedient cooperation with God’s divine direction, blessings overflow.

God called the Hebrews out of Egypt in a miraculous divine Exodus. After two years at Mount Sinai, He was ready to bring them into the promised land of Canaan. Kadesh Barnea was the port of entry. Twelve spies examined the land. Caleb and Joshua were optimistic and called the people to occupy the land of promise. Ten spies brought back reports of fear and failure. Giants, walled cities, and certain loss was their testimony. The Hebrews failed to enter the promised land, and were cursed to wander in the wilderness of the Sinai Peninsula until an entire generation of unbelief had died.

The consequence of failure to enter the open door of God’s leading was a factor motivating me to obey Jesus when He called me to Wesley Biblical Seminary. God had disquieted my soul for several years. Six months before accepting the position at WBS, a close friend died suddenly. I had an overwhelming sense of the brevity of life. Missionary pioneer, C.T. Studd's words resounded in my soul: "Only one life, twill soon be past. Only what’s done for Christ will last." I knew that Jesus was saying "Go," but I did not know where He wanted me to go. The door to WBS opened quickly and unexpectedly. I must decide. I must trust God in faith. I must obey. 

Before me, I envisioned the consequences of disobedience. I knew that once God had called, disobedience would lead to destruction. I would lose everything I sought to preserve through my doubt and disobedience. My disobedience would poison it all. There was a tide of opportunity. The moment was now.

I have seen people wander their entire ministry lives, jumping from job to job, position to position... wandering.  I wonder where they missed it?  What was the door of opportunity that God opened through which they failed to enter?

Such a failure is not the consequence of simple error, a mistake in judgment, or a lack of adequate information.  Such a failure to seize the opportunity to which God was calling the Hebrews was a consequence of rebellious unbelief.  God indicated that this resistance was their tenth in a whole pattern of obstinate disobedience.  

Patterned disobedience is the consequence of unbelief in God.  This unbelief will doubt and question the very character of God, His self-giving love, and His foreknowledge of all that is good and blessed for His children.  

Faced with the consequence and self-imposed curse over our choice, we often react saying that we will fix it.  We will engage in a delayed obedience.  We will seize the moment.  We deteriorate to fleshly actions to fix the problems we created and we are chased from the mountains of Kadesh by the enemy.  What an embarrassing double failure!  The first failure was a failure to enter.  The second failure was a failure to accept God’s discipline.  These failures of the Hebrews resulted in embarrassment for God and His Kingdom.  Their failures diminished His name and reputation among the nations. 

The consequence for the Hebrews was that every person above 40 years of age had to die in the forty year wilderness wanderings.  Unbelief had to die before the Promised Land could be accessed and attained.

I’ve travelled this whole world over, lived my life in sin.

Now that I’m feeling sober, Oh, I’m going back to try again.

Call me a wanderer, a bum, I am, I’m going back to where I came.

From “leave all my friends behind,”  that is if I can find, just one, who’ll call me by my name.

Tired of livin’ this way.  Tired of cryin’ all day.  Oh, I’m going back to where I came.

From can’t forgive the life I’ve given.  So live and let live I’ve liven.

I’m going back from where I came.

(Traditional)

John Wesley wrote: "Why are we not more holy? Chiefly because we are enthusiasts, looking for the end without the means."  

Such was the tragedy of Kadesh Barnea.  The Hebrews rebelled and resisted at the thought of God’s means. God’s means meant accepting a minority report.  God’s means meant battle against giants.  God’s means meant to conquer Canaan now, by faith, through obedience, that would certainly grant God all the glory.  God’s means meant obey or suffer the consequences.  

William Barclay writes: “There are a great many decisions which have to be taken on the spot, or they will never be taken.  The moment to act goes past; the impulse to decide fades; there is a time to act and a time to decide... They put it off until a more convenient time, but it so often happens that the more convenient time never comes.  (In The Gospel of Matthew. vol. 2, p. 260).  

Are you seizing God's tide of opportunity in your life?