A Knock On The Door

19Then Jesus answered and said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner. 20“For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself does; and He will show Him greaterworks than these, that you may marvel. 21“For as the Father raises the dead and gives life to them, even so the Son gives life to whom He will. 22“For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son, 23“that all should honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him."
John 5: 19 -23 NKJV

I was listening to a few radio talk shows the other day, which I do whenever I need to catch up on some current events or just need a break from the normal media trash.  As I listened, a well known local broadcaster was interviewing a author of a recent book on...opportunities.  I forget the name of the author and the book, but what I didn't forget was the point that he made.  Be it by law or just our inherent human right, we are all entitled to equal opportunities for success.  What we are not entitled to, however, is equal success from those opportunities.  Now, I know that this statement may not be popular with many who desire to fan the flames of racial tension, but I believe that this man was onto something profound.  A child may have the opportunity for equal access under the law for schooling, but does that guarantee that they will succeed?  A man may have equal access under the law to employment, but does that guarantee that he is CEO material?  The answer to both of these is, of course, no.  Opportunities do not equal success, they never have.  Now, when the opportunity comes we may, through our determination and all that is within us, will ourselves to do well.  Still, our own success is  not at all guaranteed.  When I look at a successful businessman I am seeing someone who had the very same opportunites presented to myself, yet something within him drove him to be more successful.  I can't be mad at him, he's doing what he needs to do to make it.  So, what does that say about me and the opportunities I've had?  Well, like that businessman, some have suceeded and some haven't.  We're not all Donald Trump, but one thing we do have in common with him is that even we have succeeded in a number of our own opportunities.  One thing I can say for certain is that eventually opportunity will come knocking.  What will you do with it when it does?

24Then the Jews surrounded Him and said to Him, “How long do You keep us in doubt? If You are the Christ, tell us plainly.” 25Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in My Father’s name, they bear witness of Me.26“But you do not believe, because you are not of My sheep, as I said to you. 27“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. 28“And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. 29“My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand. 30“I and My Father are one.”
John 10: 24 - 30 NKJV

Without getting too much into the weeds of this issue, one thing I feel that we need to understand from the get go is that whatever hopes, desires dreams that we may have, they are and always have been connected to Christ.  Indeed, if it is Jesus who lives through those who have accepted Him, then we share all that He is {Galations 2:20}.  So, can we then stake that claim that our desires are His desires as well?  I believe that you could present a pretty strong case for that very fact.  Jesus Himself claimed on more than a few occasions that He could do nothing by Himself, but did only did what He saw the Father do.  Those of us who have children of their own will surely understand this, as a child will surely see what his parents do and do likewise.  Christ Jesus is no different.  Jesus knew the will of the Father, He and the Father were one.  Of course, this pissed off the Jewish authorities who ridiculed Him for making Himself equal to God.  However, scripture tells us that Jesus was indeed the image of the invisible God {Colossions 1:15}.  So, if Jesus only did what He saw the Father do, what does that say for us who have His Spirit in us today?  Well, I believe that whatever hopes and desires we may have, that Jesus Himself definately has a hand in speaking them onto our spirit.  You could say that, like Jesus, we ourselves can do nothing of ourselves but what we see the Father do.  Yeah yeah, but the Father never messed up like I did.  The funny thing about our flesh is that it sometimes runs contrary to the Fathers desires for us.  That does not mean that Jesus has left us, just that we choose to follow a different leader at from time to time.  The apostle Paul himself recognized this as he realized that in his own flesh nothing good dwells {Romans 7:18}.  However, Paul realized that it was only through Christ Jesus that he lived.  So it is with us as well.  I would say that it is not opportunity that every now and then comes knocking, but Jesus Himself.  Will you answer Him?

7“If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him.” 8Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us.” 9Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?
10“Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works. 11“Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves."
John 14: 7 - 11 NKJV

~Scott~