4-4-2024

Good Morning All,

               Matthew 28:20; “Teach them to do everything I have commanded you. “And remember that I am always with you until the end of time.”

         I had a friend who could not wait for whatever we were doing to get done.  When we were in high school and playing football, he couldn’t wait for football to get done.  Then he couldn’t wait for basketball to get done.  When we went to college he couldn’t wait until he would be done with classes.  After his children were born, he couldn’t wait until they were old enough to drive and then he couldn’t wait until they graduated.  His job wasn’t any better; he couldn’t wait until he could retire.  He would always look forward to what was coming but he never really enjoyed what he was doing.

    This seems like a sad life to me; yet there are many Christians who live the same way.  It is easy to do and not entirely wrong.  We are eschatological; that is, we look forward to the end of time and look forward to the return of Jesus as King and Lord.  So, for Christians to look forward to the end times is not all bad.  Only when Jesus returns will all pain, sorrow, suffering, sadness, and death finally end.  This is why we look forward to Christ’s return; this is why we pray for Christ to return.  For when Christ comes, we will have the restored and recreated heaven and earth.  Everything will be perfect.

    Yet we don’t want to miss today either.  Jesus told us that tomorrow will have enough worries so live today.  Too often we miss this.  We fail to see the beauty of today because we want the beauty of tomorrow.  Just like my friend missed so much because he wouldn’t see today; he only wanted to get to tomorrow.  He missed a lot of his children growing up because he was trying to hurry them into the next phase.  He missed a lot of companionship today because he was always hurrying to get to tomorrow.

    One of the wonderful gifts that God gives us in our faith is that we have the certainty of tomorrow so we can enjoy today.  We don’t have to wait until we live with Jesus; he already lives in us right now.  He is with us all the time and we cannot only take comfort in this; we can revel in it.  We can thoroughly enjoy his presence in our lives right now.  Since we have his guarantee to live with us at all times; we can enjoy the fruits of our salvation right now.  We can see it in the beauty of a star filled night even when it is cold.  We can see it in the beauty of the eyes of small children as they gaze with wonder and awe at the new things they see and learn.  We can see it in the love that an elderly couple still shares even after all these years.  We can see it all around, but we have to stop, look, and rejoice in what God gives us today.  We have his grace to surround us so that we may be forever safe and secure in his loving arms.  Enjoy today for God has given it to you.

Father, lead me to see that each day is a gift from you for me to enjoy in your presence.  Lead me to celebrate my days of faith with you.  Lead me to savor your grace and to look to share it with those around me.  Help me to slow down and live in your mercy.  In the precious name of Jesus we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret