One of the great tragedies in life is the loss of opportunities. On most of these occasions the missed opportunity never knocks twice.

As one thinks about missed opportunities in life, a question pops up in our mind's eye: ``What makes one miss opportunities?'' The answer is simple. People miss opportunities because they look at the wrong places. They have wrong expectations. Therefore when the opportunity presents itself right before their eyes they fail to recognize it. This happens because they are looking at some other place for it. And they fail to recognize it for another reason too. They expected something else. So when expectations don't match they let the opportunity slip by.

The same thing happened to the Jewish people when Jesus came to them. They expected a Kingtheir Messiah. They expected Him to destroy the Roman Empire and reestablish the Kingdom of Israel once again.

But He came as a suffering servant. And He chose the cross instead of the crown. Therefore they rejected Him. And they missed their opportunity.

Reflecting on this missed opportunity Jesus wept over Jerusalem and its coming destruction: ``They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God's coming to you'' (Luke 19:44b NIV). The people had missed their opportunity. And that was going to cost them much.

In another portion, Jesus laments about Jerusalem and its people thus: ``How often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing'' (Matthew 23:23b NIV). Note the phrase, ``but you were not willing!'' How often God is willing, but we are not ready to be shielded under His wings! With what great love and compassion He longs to reach out to us, but we are not willing!

And if we continue like the people of Jerusalem we will miss the glorious appearing of Jesus Christ. It will cost us much for we were unwilling to be ready for His coming.

The Parable of the Ten Virgins (Matthew 25) teaches this supreme truth. It is not enough to watch out for His coming. More than that He should find us prepared like the five wise virgins. If we are like the foolish virgins trying to get ready when the trumpet call would sound, it would be too late. And the door shall close on us.

There are many who try to avoid this disaster by doing nothing and looking at the clouds of heaven, watching and waiting for His coming. But Jesus warned that He would be happy to find His children doing their work He had entrusted to them: ``It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns'' (Matthew 24:46 NIV). So we are asked to be diligent and faithful in the work that God has called us to do instead of daydreaming and wasting our time.

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