Chance and Opportunity

A chance is available in a situation where you had not expected it or planned for it to happen. For example: As we were in California last October we had a chance to visit the museum. When something is planned and it can also lead on to something else, we would say there is an opportunity. Parents would certainly agree to that if children work hard at school, they have an opportunity to score higher grades.

It is our church’s vision that we will become a praying body, developing our congregation in an understanding and practice of prayer, including individual prayer, family prayer, small group prayer, and congregational prayer. I have invited you in my article of Feb. 26 to encourage one another with this belief: While we wait with the Lord’s patience, we will find great enrichment through His promise.

Jesus promises his followers that the Father will give them another Counselor to be with them for ever [John 14:16]. The Counselor is the Holy Spirit. Have you thought about having the Holy Spirit as your Counselor? Yes, what a wonderful thing it is! However, have you experienced or are you convinced that the Holy Spirit is with you? There is no scientific proof to the aforesaid questions. Nevertheless, Jesus reminds us that the work of the Spirit is just like a blowing wind: The wind blows where it wills, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know whence it comes or whither it goes [John 3:8 RSV]. Here is the good news – you shall know it if the Holy Spirit has ever worked on you.

In terms of prayer, there is a promise in Rom. 8:26, namely, the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with sighs too deep for words. Brothers and sisters, let’s hold firm to these promises and work together towards our vision to become a praying body in the Lord. You must have heard about the 10 p.m. prayer for the church and been invited to join us in this spiritual endeavor. Even you are not always available at 10 p.m., let me encourage you to join our prayer effort at a time convenient to you. If you do that consistently and persistently, I belief it is not just a chance for you to make a difference in our church. Rather, it will be an opportunity for you to experience God’s promise and be transformed and lifted up spiritually as have been with the prophets and apostles.