Hinges Of History

1 Samuel 17:12-23

David left the sheep with another shepherd and set out early the next morning with the gifts, as Jesse had directed him. He arrived at the camp just as the Israelite army was leaving for the battlefield with shouts and battle cries. (1 Samuel 17:20)

DAVID’S FATHER TOLD HIM to take some bread to his brothers on the front lines. Israel’s army was at war with the Philistines, and a high-and-mighty colossus of a man kept taunting the Israelites and challenging them to a duel he assumed they wouldn’t dare to accept. David’s mission was simple: Deliver the food. But his simple act of obedience led to a crisis moment that changed the course of his own life and Israel’s war. Massive doors of opportunity opened because David carried out his business.

That’s generally how massive doors of opportunity work. You rarely find them when you go out looking for them; they open as you faithfully fulfill your normal responsibilities. Far too many people are trying to make things happen, hoping to force their way into the center of God’s will. But the center of God’s will is daily faithfulness, the here-and-now of serving him. It’s fine to anticipate greater things, but you may not be able to arrange them. The doors of history often swing on small hinges, and if you’re observant, you’ll notice them when they do. Even if you don’t, God will move you into them when the time is right. And the right time is very often a moment of crisis, just as it was for Israel’s warriors when David arrived.

Don’t fear the crisis moments of God’s Kingdom. Many Christians pray to avoid them; wiser ones pray to be ready to step into them when they come. Just as the believers in Acts prayed for boldness when they were threatened and the Holy Spirit shook their surroundings; just as Paul’s visit to Rome came in the context of controversy and an unfair imprisonment; just as many believers today are thrust into divine appointments that at first appear rather frightening; your circumstances will maximize your testimony and your fruitfulness if you are simply faithful today, tomorrow, and beyond. Dream big, but don’t be afraid to work small. Huge doors open for servants such as these.

{Lord, prepare me for divine opportunities, critical moments of service, and doors that open suddenly. Open my eyes to the meaning in the mundane. Use my faithfulness today for great things tomorrow. Amen.