Originally published Friday, 16 October 2015.
Now.
These 3 letters signify all we have. They signify husbands who hope to receive a smile. Children who simply want our presence. Parents who are eager just to hear our voice. Friends who deeply desire to be understood.
They signify the only thing we are guaranteed and the only place where it is possible to make change. They signify our present purpose. They signify the meeting ground for our heart and God's - a God who stands waiting, hoping and eager to meet us.
You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore. Ps. 16:11
Yet, what I also notice is that staying in "now" is just about as hard as staying in constant peace, which I figure may be almost one in the same. And, just this thought, this pressure of staying in peace, nearly sends me into a tailspin where that notorious hook comes to pull me off the stage of God's purpose and peace.
Adios, bad girl! Where are the tomatoes?
As I step away from the faces, the eyes, the hope, the joy and the love longing for me in the here and now, I almost can't help but dwell in the two places no human, known to man, has ever been able to ever control: the past and the future. I start to see all that I am not and all that God can't possibly do for me: He can't possibly be with a girl like me, he can't possibly promise to help in this situation, he can't possibly do good things here.
Feet that walk from the vibration of God's
truth, love and presence
walk into the trepidation of discord, doubt and defeat.
I've done it one too many times; I should know.
One too many times that makes me think one more time about my approach (And, yes, observant friend, I realize this is going to the past, but occasionally we go to the past, with the goal to move past the past) and something is stirring.
Living in the moment and living in striving
are mutually exclusive.
And he said, “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” Ex. 33:14
Notice God does the going and we do the resting.
We just behold him and he holds us.
We be with and he works in.
Simple stuff. And, that's how it is to live in the "now," it's simple. It simple laughs, simple tears, simple words heard, simple hearts held, simple games played, simple words shared and simple love bestowed. But, what it all adds up to at the end of ones life, far surpasses simple and far beyond normal. It ends up nearly exceeding glorious, or perhaps being the sum of it - because what we see in our future, a day that will finally come to a close is that we really loved. We loved deeply and wildly and passionately and greatly and meaningfully.
But the greatest of these is love. 1 Cor. 13:13
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