Our present moment is home! We live there in actuality. Yesterday is our house from yesteryear and tomorrow is the possible house of our future. It’s only in this present moment that we’re allowed to truly dwell, rest, move, and live life. This present moment is our home, and not in the seconds on either side of this dwelling. Yes, I was created for and contained within this present moment.
Everything I Need in the Present Moment
Only in this present moment do I have all the grace and all the supply that is needed to perform the tasks at hand. Unfortunately, I often find myself replaying my past or planning for the tasks of my future. As such, I’m a multi-tasker. And it’s almost like an addiction. When I can’t stay focused in the NOW. This makes me a mental gymnast performing between my past, my present and the future. What I’ve learned is that this robs me of my relationship with God, who is found in my NOW. All this is done with the motivation of getting the job done or doing things better, but I’m not a job; I am His beloved set here for relationship. When I live in the present moment, I have fellowship with my God who wants to live all of life with me in this present moment.
To live in this present moment, I must take captive every thought to the obedience of Christ. I can’t just let my mind ricochet between past, present and future. The only way I can live is in my present moment. If I live in a chaotic mind, moving from the past to future with slight dalliances of entertaining my present, I will miss my opportunities to experience Him fully. In missing my moments, I miss the Lord and His fellowship. Living in this present moment is a discipline to live surrendered and submitted to the spirit of the Living God.
A Child in the Moment
As a child, I remember having so much joy in living in the moment. And I believe that this is the key. A child lives in the moment, while an adult fixates on past and future. I cannot tell you the wonder I lived in when this moment was all I had. The sky was bluer, the air was fresher, and life was filled with ecstasy. Our eyes dim when we try to take too much in, dividing our attentions between what was, what could be, and what is.
As a child, my senses drank everything in like a sponge. I looked at all that was happening NOW. The crunch of autumn leaves beneath my bare feet on the way home from school. The flickering sunlight shining from behind the wintered trees was simply amazing as it danced on my face on the way to the store. There’s a richness that surrounds every event and unless you are in the present moment, you will miss the experience. So can only those who are young live in the present moment? No, age doesn’t have anything to do with it. But being a child does, and this is God’s call for us all.
And He said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 18:3 NIV
Loving in the Present
It also happens when we’re in love. Think about a romance. A romance is lived in the present moment. There’s a singleness of focus in a love affair. It’s not as if you don’t plan for special events and happenings, but you’re singly focused, totally involved in the present moment. I believe this is another clue of why the present moment is so crucial for our relationship with God. You cannot maintain a love affair with your mind and vision divided between past, present and future. Our relationship with God is found in our present moment.
Some books about living in the present moment are challenging me right now. I don’t know how long I will be swimming in this pond. I thought I would share with you my musings and the reverberations off of my spirit. One of the books is “The Sacrament of the Present Moment” by Jean-Pierre de Caussade – it is simply wonderful. I highly recommend it.
My form of multitasking is problem solving…to circle & rehearse it, try to head it off by jumping ahead, is to go to past or future… without experiencing His presence, power & purpose…His heart & my heart NOW. NOW is full…of the ‘ordinary’, with untold value in it. This present moment is the unfolding of my heart-surrender. I’ve at times let my NOW be taken over with a problem…as if the problem is what the present moment is about. HE is so much more, out relationship is so much more. The Lord kind of shook me loose & turned my… Read more »
How often we were in the right place at the right time for what we could not have planned. Isn’t this also true when we hardly know it? A child trusts it is so, & that the Father’s hand is there… When I’m overwhelmed, I’ve seen a tenacity in me that wants to dig in…& it obscures Him. Tenacity?!!! with a God Who changes course…to keep us in the present moment with Him! He lovingly, livingly, personally, calls us into intimate “companionship & participation with His Son”. He gladly holds our hearts to that. My daughter was with a few… Read more »
The moment, this moment, is a gift offered by Love… Something we cannot hold, but receive with open hands, taking it in and being filled!!
“But I’m not a job!”
These amazing words just jumped off the page and landed straight into my heart!!??? There’s so much freedom and contagious joy in them!
It’s autumn here…I’ll just go step on some crunchy leaves!!!??
What a beautiful post, John! Thank you so much!!!??
Bless you Sandy, you are very loved! Thank you for your encouragement. I agree knowing this reality is simply the best. “I am not a job!”
Enjoy your fall!
Thank you John, I needed to be reminded…The Word in Isaiah says, “Forget the former things, don’t dwell on the past, behold, I do a new thing, before it springs into being I will tell you of it…We get weary ..at least that’s where I have been lately, but this message this morning is giving me a boost.
Thanks for sharing.
I actually was going to use that scripture at the end but felt the other’s more perfectly fit. I am glad you quoted it, It is a perfect piece of the puzzle!
John, this is not only a literary masterpiece, but also an oasis of spiritual life and vitality… And the key to a blessed and fulfilled life! Well did Martha applaud this blog and yours and Jennifer’s writings on this weeks podcast! Thank you so much for today’s installment! With the business of this time of the year, I’m so glad that I chose to tune in and read this treasure!
Thank you John for this “present” moment.
Robin
OH John, what heavenly wisdom, “You cannot maintain a love affair with your mind and vision divided between past, present and future. Our relationship with God is found in our present moment.” Truths that I will pray become mine!!!