Time is a very peculiar thing. When I'm eagerly waiting for something, it takes forever to happen. And when I am dreading something, it feels like it happens the next day. I think it all comes down to our perspective and all the crazy things that happen in our brain. I'm convinced that if our minds are renewed to the likeness of Jesus, we can live in the now. And when we live in the now, something beautiful happens.
When I was a kid, "growing up" was something I could never wrap my head around. I mean, logically I knew it would happen, but it never felt like it would ever come to pass. I guess I subconsciously expected to be a kid forever. And now here I am, one day after my twenty-first birthday, reeling at how fast it's gone by. I've still got some growing up to do, but I'm surprised that I'm already this old. It kinda hits you all of the sudden, and it's more powerful than expected.
It's funny because right now death doesn't seem like a future reality….but I know it is. I know that every person that has ever walked this earth had to stop walking at some point (note to readers: don't bring up Enoch or Elijah or I'll yell at you. Ha.) That is a sobering thought. And it's one that would be awesome to really understand; I mean REALLY understand to the point that it affects how we act. And I don't even mean just the big stuff like selling all you own and giving it away. I mean the basics, like not being so petty in our relationships, or speaking a kind word when all you want to do is yell at someone for talking about Enoch or Elijah. (See what I did there?) Every moment is sacred, because we only have so many. We can't afford to live in the future or the past.
You see, the funny thing about the future and the past is that they don't exist. Weird, huh?
Think about it, though. The past is gone, so for all intents and purposes, it doesn't exist. I mean it's there in our memories. But how reliable are those? And how many of those are tainted and twisted by regret? We can absolutely learn from the past, and benefit tremendously from it, but we should never let it control us. It's weird how much time we spend thinking about something that cannot be altered in the slightest.
Now as for the future….well that exists even less than the past. If I can be honest, my "futures" are normally just my fears and insecurities projected to another point in time. How accurate do you think that ends up being? And when I'm doing said projecting, I always forget that Jesus is alive and well and that He's been doing this whole "life" thing alot longer than I've been around, which means that He can continue to do it….forever and ever. Last time I checked, forever and ever will probably cover the rest of my life. As confusing as it is to say: the future does not exist, and it never will. "A future" will exist, but "the future", the one we've conjured in our jacked up minds, never will. That is something to be excited about, because I am a terrible future-maker. I don't really know what I want, and I know even less about what I need. It's kind of pitiful really.
So if we don't have the past and we don't have the future, then that leaves us with what my good friend David Fritch calls "The Brave New World of Today". Fortunately, this world exists. It is actually the only world where we have any power. This is the place we get to be victors instead of victims; where we get to choose life instead of letting life happen to us.
Life is rich and satisfying when we actually live it; when we savor the moments as they actually happen, instead of living alternate realities in our head.
Right now is a gift. And to whom much is given, much is required. I want to do something with my gift. I don't want to wait until I feel ready, or clean, or called. I want to act now….even if that means doing nothing but sitting at the feet of Jesus. What is more productive than getting to know the person who created everything, including my confusing heart?
I would love to give practical advice about "living in the now" and "seizing the day" and all that jazz. But I'm not sure there is any, other than being with Jesus. He really has a way of putting things into perspective, which is exactly what we need. He shows us what's important and THAT is important, because guys….I'm sorry to break it to you….but we run after a bunch of worthless things. And only Jesus can make our path straight.
"Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near." Isaiah 55:6
We only have today….so let's go get God.
