Have you ever noticed when you know something is about to be over, your intentionality and how presently you live in each moment changes? I remember before I left for the World Race everything began to matter more. Each little bit of time I was given with someone weighed heavier in my heart, I cherished the small moments better, I took more pictures that didn’t even matter just so I could look back at them later and smile, I stopped more often to look at the things I saw everyday. My perspective shifted because the time I had at home was running out. My life as I knew it was about to drastically change for the next nine months (and in a lot of ways forever).
One of my teammates just recently went home due to a family emergency (please keep her and her family in your prayers), and our last couple of days with her really got me thinking about what it means to be present and live in each moment given. My perspective shifted once again. No longer was our last day of ministry with her just another day of ministry with her. It was an opportunity to serve alongside her I may never get again. We took more silly pictures and pointless videos. I intentionally sought her out more and noticed when she was near me rather than just brushing it off like “Oh she’s here; I’m here. Nothing special or new.”
As humans, we so easily slip into routine and go into a kind of real-life cruise control. But it tends to pose an even bigger issue because in life we oftentimes don’t simply hit cruise – we take our hands off the wheel and close our eyes as well.
By this I mean we only do what we have to in order to get by and eventually stop looking at the things around us like they’re nothing special. I’ve been running a lot more recently, and I’ve noticed this habit there, too. I find it so much more difficult to keep going when I get in a zone and forget to look at the view around me. I run everyday with mountains in view all around, and I always find myself looking at the gravel at my feet. When I catch myself, I’m reminded of how often we begin to go through the motions and throw intentionality out the window.
Really, it boils down to forgetfulness. We are such forgetful people – no wonder The Lord calls us to remember so often throughout Scripture! But imagine if we remembered. If we remembered that each breath is a gift. That The Lord is constantly interacting with us and romancing us. That we are not guaranteed tomorrow or even the next second. The Lord even warns us through James about that. He says, “Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.”” (James 4:13-15) We trade the gift of the present for thinking of a future we aren’t guaranteed. How silly!
Some of my favorite memories to think back on happened right before the Race. Some of the sweetest memories from high school happened senior year right before it came to a close. Some of the best times on the Race have been happening right now as we are all realizing it’s about to be over. The key during all of those times was intentionally living in the present.
I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to just live my life with all of my best memories being right before something ends. It sets me up for waiting until near the end of my life to finally get it in gear and say, “I better start living; I don’t have much time left.” We experience more of God, love better, and have a way sweeter life when we choose to live each moment fully.
Change begins with awareness. And now we are aware. So, let’s put our hands back on the wheel and open our eyes in order to squeeze every ounce of goodness The Lord has for us out of this life and live totally sold out for Him before it’s over!
Love in Christ,
Maeci
