Opportunity nowhere, makes me think of the desert. I am not talking about the kind with cactus, tumble weeds and an occasional roaming coyote. A few years ago we visited Egypt. Within a short distance of the lush, fertile, green Nile River valley, lays a seemingly endless sea of sand. It is hard to imagine the Israelite’s journey out of bondage. No water, no plants, no hope on the horizon; opportunity nowhere.
More recently we visited White Sands National Park in New Mexico. While it is not quite as barren as the sands of the Egyptian Arabian Desert, it remains to this day in the center of the White Sands Missile Range. A land so void of life, its primary use is for missile tests and target practice from nearby Holloman Air Force Base.
In 1883 amongst those featureless and endless waves of Egyptian sand began the discovery of The Valley of the Kings. Opportunity Now Here! Over the next several decades archeologists discovered 64 elaborate tombs carved into the desert. You may have heard of one of the rich, famous, and powerful people buried there, King Tut. In approximately 1500 BC, about 1000 years after the famous pyramids of Giza, the pharaohs and friends chose secret tombs concealed from grave robbers and for almost 3500 years it worked. Having entered some of the elaborate carved and painted tombs well preserved by the dry desert air, one can see the real treasure of Egypt was where no one thought to look.
As for those white sands? There is a great opportunity for sled salesmen. Sledding the sand, like those of us in the Midwest sled snow, is popular. Who knew? Oh, and by the way, those sands are actually gypsum. You may have heard of it. It is used in fertilizer, cement, and many building products including the wallboard in most American homes. Opportunity Now Here!
Joseph was second in command to one of those Egyptian Pharaohs. With prayer, persistence, and a positive perspective, he went from a pit to a prison, and on to a palace. When you think about it, perhaps whether you see “Opportunity Nowhere” or “Opportunity Now Here,” is a matter of Joseph’s plethora of p’s, prayer, persistence, and perspective. It's where you put the space.
It has been a long year. Many have suffered illness, lost loved ones, endured isolation, experienced unemployment and more. Our country was divided by a polarized election, and the world seemed in turmoil. The end of the pandemic appears to be on the horizon and as we celebrate Easter let us make it a new beginning. After all, after a week of trials, beatings, torture, and death, Christ rose from the grave to give all Christians the opportunity to claim the free gift of eternal life. Opportunity Now Here!
Todd Moss
Authors note: “Opportunity Nowhere/Opportunity Now Here” is not original. All the words that accompany it are. Let us begin anew and put the space in the right place.
HAPPY EASTER!
ACTS 27:13 When a gentle wind began to blow, they saw their opportunity; So they weighed anchor and sailed along the shore of Crete.
