We all lead busy lives, but we must be careful not to miss great opportunities. When our schedules are packed and everything on our to-do list is important, it can be difficult to be flexible when God brings something unexpected to us.
I recently returned from a Missions trip to Baja, Mexico. We had a lot to do between evangelizing to the community and constructing a church building. During one of our devotional times, a young six-year-old boy in our group felt like God told him to get baptized. After much prayer and talking to his parents, he was ready!
Like I said, our schedules were full: between evangelism in the community, working in the heat constructing a church building, and on top of that I needed some time to prepare to preach on Sunday. Little did I know I would also be asked to baptize someone. With all the responsibilities as the leader of our team, I could have said no, I don’t have time, or we need to do it in a proper church building. But the family and the child were ready now!
It reminded me of the story of the Ethiopian eunuch and Philip the evangelist. Philip was in the midst of revival in his town, but God pulled him out to go and connect with the Ethiopian eunuch as he was reading Isaiah’s prophecy about Jesus. The eunuch wanted to understand what the prophecy was about, and so Philip was able to share the gospel with him.
“Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this Scripture he told him the good news about Jesus. And as they were going along the road they came to some water, and the eunuch said, ‘See, here is water! What prevents me from being baptized?’ And he commanded the chariot to stop, and they both went down into the water, Philip, and the eunuch, and he baptized him.” (Acts 8:35-38)
Yes, Philip had a lot going on, but he was not going to miss an opportunity! Because he seized the moment, the eunuch went back to Ethiopia full of Christ, and the gospel message began to spread throughout Africa.
So even amidst our hectic schedule in Baja, we made time for what God wanted us to do. The next day Matthew and I with his parents found water — a hot tub in the hotel, and Matthew got baptized! It was a great moment, and we are glad we didn’t rush past it.
When an opportunity comes your way, will you make the most of it? If we stay flexible and open, God will lead us to exciting and awesome experiences that we might have otherwise missed. Let us all be watchful for how God is at work around us!