How much is a moment worth? What can you really gain or lose in a moment?

When Jesus was tempted, “the devil took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time” (Luke 4:5 ESV). The NET says, “in a flash.” The word means “literally a mark made by a pointed instrument, a dot” (Vincent’s Word Studies). It is “like our ‘second’ of time or tick of the clock” (Robert’s Word Pictures).

It is a fascinating thought that in a particular instant, Satan showed Jesus all the “kingdoms of the inhabited-earth” (MLV). While a second seems so inconsequential, a moment can be very significant.

These moments can seem to come suddenly. My wife wisely told my oldest that it is good to determine in your mind what you will do before you are asked to do something consequential.

Sin so often comes down to a moment, where one decision to do or abstain, to go or stay, to speak or remain silent is the difference between faithfulness and sin. Lives of countless people can be altered in a moment of time. Souls can be won or lost in a moment of time.

Eve, Esther, Judas, and Peter each had a significant moment. What happened in those moments and after them are instructive.

“So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate” (Genesis 3:6)

“So when the woman saw,” is a moment that changed the world. Sin doesn’t just happen. The sin progression is described in James 1:14, 15:

“But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.”

Being tempted is not a sin, but it is our moment of decision. When Eve “saw,” was the moment her desire conceived and she acted upon her temptation.

All of us have been impacted by this moment. Every pain we feel and every life lost to sickness can be traced back to this moment in the garden.

Esther was queen to Ahasuerus. Her cousin had learned of a plot to kill all the Jews. When Mordecai brought this to Esther’s attention, her first thought was that she could not speak to the king without risking her life. Mordecai convinced her:

“Do not think to yourself that in the king’s palace you will escape any more than all the other Jews. For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:13, 14).

Her time was now. Esther’s moment saved a nation.

We all know the tragedy of Judas’ life. A chosen disciple, Judas used his position to help himself financially. While the Jewish leaders were constantly plotting to kill Jesus, Judas went to the chief priests and asked for blood money to deliver Jesus over to them.

“And from that moment he sought an opportunity to betray him” (Matthew 26:16).

After Jesus was delivered to Pilate, Judas changed his mind. But he could not get back that moment. The Jews would not take the money back, and what was done could not be undone. Seeing no other way, Judas hanged himself.

While we cannot relive a moment, no moment is beyond repair. Peter denied the Lord three times, each an opportunity to confess the Lord before men. But Jesus was willing to redeem that moment of betrayal.

‘Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?’ He said to him, ‘Yes Lord; you know that I love you.’ He said to him, ‘Feed my lambs.’ (John 21:15).

In Jesus’ mercy, Peter found forgiveness and direction. God desires to be merciful toward our iniquities, and he promises to remember our sins no more (Hebrews 8:12).

We all have moments that we wish we could have back. God is willing to redeem those moments. Jesus would have forgiven Judas, and he forgave Peter, he is willing to forgive you.

Prepare for your moment, be ready to serve. But remember that God can and will forgive.

Lee Parish, link to original article