Savoring present moments becomes a catalyst for practicing the Presence of God.
“What do you think?” a voice interrupts your thoughts.
Suddenly you’re brought back to the present. Your spouse, your child, your friend has been sharing something important, but you were thinking about what was next on your never-ending to-do list. You have no idea what they just said. Busted!
On another occasion, you miss a magical moment on your family vacation because you’re dwelling on a regret from your past.
God has given us five senses to bring awareness of His creation around us. These senses are available now, not yesterday, not tomorrow, but now.
What are some of your favorites?
For me:
Sight: Sunset, or sunrise over water or mountains
Sound: Water rushing past rocks in a mountain stream
Smell: Tea olive, gardenias
Touch: Sea breeze, fall wind in my face, soft sheets
Taste: Chocolate pie, dark coffee
When we savor now, we’re enjoying a gift from God. A lady on a plane once told me that’s why “now” is called the present. It’s a gift.
This is the day which the Lord has made; Let us rejoice and be glad in it. (Psalm 118:24 NASB)
Why do the Living not Understand?
There’s an old movie entitled Our Town which drives this point home.
One character, named Emily, dies while giving birth to a child. However, the stage manager allows her to go back to the past and observe the morning of her sixteenth birthday.
From her vantage point, she has a profoundly nostalgic appreciation of the transient beauty of life’s insignificant moments. However, she realizes that people, including her younger self, don’t understand how precious the moments of life really are. She is stunned that nobody savors and fully appreciates “now”. They all seem so disengaged. Later she would say of the living, “They don’t understand.”
Paul – “Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead.” (Philippians 3:13 NASB)
Jesus –“So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” (Matthew 6:34 NASB)
God doesn’t want us to be imprisoned by the regrets of our past or fears of our future. He wants us to be present with Him moment by moment.
Abiding is Staying Present with Jesus
Jesus tells us in John 15 to “abide” in Him. Other meanings of this word are to “tarry” or “stay present with.” Jesus says in the same chapter that there is complete joy found in “staying present” in His love and loving others as He has loved us.
Staying present with Jesus is essential to our spiritual lives, and it leads to experiencing and savoring life’s moments. Otherwise, life quickly passes us by.
Savoring present moments becomes a catalyst for practicing the Presence of God.
Quiddity
Of his friend, A. K. Hamilton Jenkins, Lewis wrote that he “seemed to be able to enjoy everything, even ugliness.” [1] From Jenkins’ example, Lewis learned to, “attempt total surrender to whatever atmosphere was offering at the moment; in a squalid town to seek out those places where it’s squalor rose to grimness and almost grandeur,”[2] He called this a “serious, yet gleeful determination to rub one’s nose in the very quiddity[3] of each thing, to rejoice in its being (so magnificently) what it was.”
What I learn from this is that in our endeavors to “enjoy” the nature of something and experience it with our senses, we notice the “good” and the “bad”.
Challenge
Take notice of what you see and hear right at this moment. Do you smell anything? Perhaps you’re drinking a cup of coffee and feel a gentle breeze upon your face like I’m experiencing as I write.
What calls you away from being fully present? Is it a looming duty, a past regret, a worry about the future? Whatever it is robs you of fully embracing the gift of now. Give these things to God and don’t take them back.
During life’s “nows,” we show love by caring for the people in our lives. In an instant, our present moments become memories. When we savor our times with the people God places in our path, there’s a richness which touches our hearts and slows the swirl of life.
But what’s most important is being present with God. The Holy Spirit of Jesus indwells us, and we are never alone. God is in us and around us. We are in Him and He is in us.
Tarry, remain, abide in Jesus. Now, we feel His presence.
In your presence is fullness of joy.Psalm 16:11b.
Prayer
Lord, I need you desperately on this one. I can determine with all my might to stay present, but my mind quickly wanders. By Your Indwelling Holy Spirit, please keep me in the moments of life, fully savoring all which surrounds me, receiving all things from Your hand.
In my moments of now, my I, above all things, recognize Your nearness and show Your love to all You bring my way. May this be the overarching goal of every day, to receive Your love and give it away.
Amen
And now, O Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is in you. (Psalm 39:7 NASB)
[1] Surprised By Joy, Harcourt, p. 199
[2] Ibid, p. 199
[3] From the Oxford Dictionary: Quiddity – the nature or essence of someone or something.
Joy in the Journey is about the gladness of God’s nearness in the midst of life’s adventures.
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Robby Buck
Nonfiction books by the Author:
Because joy is rooted in God and is eternal, it doesn’t ebb and flow with the waves of circumstances. In fact, as we grow in our understanding of joy, we can even experience it more acutely when life is hard. Why? Because God uses trials to conform us into the image of Christ. With this awareness, which gives us glimpses of God’s greater purposes, we rejoice because of His masterful work to free us from needing anything but Him.
For these reasons, and many others, joy in the Lord is commanded in scripture. It’s not just a good idea, it’s vital to our journey as human beings. Rhythms of Joy
Novels by the Author:
What happens when a professor figures out how to send messages to his younger self to try and avoid the suicide of his best friend? Did he change more than he bargained for? Beyond Time
By finding two undelivered letters in an old shack deep in the woods, Cassie and Daniel unknowing set off a series of events which uncover a plot to wipe out a whole family Hope Remains
Please Check out the Cola City Podcast . Discussions that impact the vision of reaching every man, woman, and child in a city.
A few years ago a friend of mine shared a secret he’d learned during miles of cycling. “Don’t worry about the miles per hour,” Rick said. “It’s the cadence that matters. If you keep the cadence above 70 or 80, no matter how steep the hills, your miles per hour will take care of itself.”
What Rick told me turned out to be true. I had my bicycle computer set to always show me the Miles Per Hour. I would strain, sometimes in very hard gears, to maintain my speed even on monster hills. But eventually my legs would wear out.
However, when I changed the computer to show my cadence, I paid attention only to how many times I pedaled in a minute. If it was at least 70 times, shifting gears as needed to accommodate changes in the gradient, my miles per hour worked out better at the end of the ride. It’s the key to endurance cycling.
Note: In the above picture, Rick Velilla is the second biker on the right. He is now with the Lord.
The Cadence of Life
As I think about how watching my cadence led to cycling success, I wonder if there’s a similar focus for life. Is there a rhythm which can be maintained during the ups and downs of circumstances, that keeps me in God’s will, the same way Rick’s suggestion kept me steady on the inclines of the road?
I think of Matthew 22:37-40, where Jesus gives us a focus for our lives, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
These two summary commandments, focusing on Love, form a filter for me to run my words and deeds through,
But the kind of love Jesus is talking can’t originate with me.
I John 4:19: “We love because He first loved us.”
God’s love is the only true love. I can grind out a self serving type of love, straining at the pedals of life, but it’s not pure and it will wear out.
My cadence is to remain in Jesus’ love flowing through me, as Rivers of Living Water, [1] and to love others in the same way He’s loved me. [2] No matter what difficult hills I travel in life, my focus is to be on receiving His love and giving it away.
Receiving God’s Love to Give it Away
Just as the Father has loved Me, I also have loved you; remain in My love.If you keep My commandments, you will remain in My love; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and remain in His love.These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full. This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you (John 15:9-12 NASB).
As I look closer at the above verses, the steps of receiving God’s love and giving it away are clearly laid out.
Know His love. Remain in His love. Love other’s as He’s loved me.
First, I’m to Know how much Jesus loves me. Verse 9 says He loves me as much as God loves Him. The essence of this truth is beyond my understanding, yet Jesus tells me it’s true.
Lord, this truth is too amazing to fit in my head. Please open the eyes of my heart that I might begin to truly know the vast quality of Your love for me, which is beyond comprehension.
Then I’m to Remain in the Lord’s love for me. Verse 10 commands me to stay, tarry, abide in Jesus’ great love for me. Abiding is not striving. It’s remaining, not moving from where God originally placed me, in the love of Christ. [3] God did it. I need to rest in what He’s already done.
Lord, please keep me aware that staying in Your love is not something to attain, but something to rest in. When I’m tricked again into thinking I must perform to earn Your love, please calm my heart. May I continually remain and rest where You’ve placed me, in Your unending love.
And, from verses 10 an 12, I must learn the true cadence of receiving God’s love and giving it away, Loving others as He’s loved me. This quality of sacrificial love, demonstrated by Christ’s washing of the disciples feet [4], can only be repeated by me depending on Christ’s Holy Spirit within me. Apart from Him, I can do nothing [5], especially love others.
Lord, truly this is the great cadence of life, receiving Your love, and by Your Spirit, loving others as You’ve loved me. So often I offer a cheap imitation of my own kind of love. When I do this, please shut it down quickly. Loving with my love is only harmful and self serving. But, by allowing you to love through me, You are glorified and my life is filled with Your joy.
Complete Joy
Jesus tells says when I know His love, remain in it and love others as He has loved me, I will have His joy.
As we look at Jesus’ life, we see love tightly coupled with joy.
. . . Jesus, the originator and perfecter of the faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of Go (Hebrews 12:2b NASB).
It was His love for us, and the prize of our reconciliation with Him, which gave Jesus a joy, which fueled His endurance on the cross.
It’s this quality of joy which accompanies our receiving His love and giving it away, a joy which completes us.
Conclusion
There’s a command Jesus gave His disciples, after He washed their feet and before He endured the cross. He called it a new commandment and He gave it twice:
I am giving you a new commandment, that you love one another; just as I have loved you, that you also love one another.By this all people will know that you are My disciples: if you have love for one another (John 13:34-35 NASB).
This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you (John 15:9-12 NASB)
Resting in the love of Jesus, we, in turn, love others. The great cadence of life. Receiving His love and giving it away.
If this rhythm of love is locked into our minds, the result will be far better than if we focus on the circumstances of our lives.
Prayer
Lord, you’ve given me a new commandment which seems to sum up Your desires for me. By Your strength and guidance, I ask You to allow me to obey this as the foremost focus of my life. Please show me quickly when I deviate and lose the cadence of receiving Your love and giving it away.
Thank you, that in obeying Your new commandment, I remain in Your love and experience Your joy.
I love You Lord.
Amen.
Personal Study
The Daily L.O.V.E. Examen
In order to LOVE those close to me, I need to regularly examine my interactions with them. The LOVE Examen is a daily contemplation of my relationships and conversations to see if I need to seek reconciliation or forgiveness. This is how God grows my character.
Search me, God, and know my heart; Put me to the test and know my anxious thoughts; And see if there is any hurtful way in me, And lead me in the everlasting way (Psalm 139:23-24 NASB).
Listen Did I Listen attentively today to what was said and unspoken?
Open Was I open and vulnerable in my interactions with others today?
Value Did I value the thoughts & opinions of others in my conversations?
Examine “Lord, examine my heart for any way I didn’t love well today.”
Please Check out the new Cola City Podcast . Discussions that impact the vision of reaching every man, woman, and child with the gospel.
Joy in the Journey is about the gladness of God’s nearness in the midst of life’s adventures.
Subscribe below to get email notifications of new posts. We post a few times a month. Thank you for reading.
Novels by the Author:
Rob Buck
What happens when a professor figures out how to send messages to his younger self to try and avoid the suicide of his best friend? Did he change more than he bargained for? Beyond Time
By finding two undelivered letters in a old shack deep in the woods, Cassie and Daniel unknowing set off a series of events which uncover a plot to wipe out a whole family Hope Remains
Much has been written about folks communing with God and walking with Him throughout the day.
Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him (Genesis 5:24 NASB).
These are the records of the generations of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation. Noah walked with God (Genesis 6:9 NASB).
He guides me in the paths of righteousness For the sake of His name. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me (Psalm 23:3b-4a NASB).
Nevertheless I am continually with You; You have taken hold of my right hand. You will guide me with Your plan, And afterward receive me to glory (Psalm 73:23-24 NASB).
God is faithful, through whom you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord (I Corinthians 1:9 NASB).
As amazing as it seems, having intimate fellowship with the Creator of the Universe is possible for us right now. As believers, Jesus Christ indwells us by His Holy Spirit. He is always with us, as close as breathe. But do we acknowledge Him as we go?
For me the answers is: sometimes. But I want to know Him more deeply and communicate with Him more consistently, not only in my set aside times alone with Him, but also throughout the day.
After all, our access to God has been paid for by the precious blood of Jesus, the Lamb of God, for the purpose of us experiencing eternal life, even now. And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent (John 17:3 NASB).
Knowing God. Walkingwith Him, having fellowship with Him, communing with Him is possible. Today. This moment.
But how?
Let’s look at a couple of rhythms for staying connected to God in true communion and fellowship.
Being Alone with Jesus
One way to take advantage of our direct pathway to God is to regularly set aside dedicated times of being alone with Him. These times, though they can also include reading God’s Words or songs of worship, can be considered times of prayer.
Unless we are simply going through the motions, which I sometimes do, true communication is happening during these times of being alone with Jesus.
But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you (Matthew 6:6 ESV).
Jesus often had these times of pulling away to isolate with His Father God.
And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, He departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed (Mark 1:35 NASB).
And when it was day, He departed and went into a desolate place. And the people sought Him and came to him, and would have kept him from leaving them (Luke 4:42 NASB).
But He would withdraw to desolate places and pray (Luke 5:16 NASB).
In these days he went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God (Luke 6:12 NASB).
The last verse tells us what Jesus did prior to selecting the twelve disciples.
Following are some suggested keys concerning our times alone with God which produce genuine communication.
Be as consistent with the time of day as possible. Mornings are good, but not necessary. If unexpected events occur, no worries. Take the time when it can be grabbed.
Treat the time alone with God as other scheduled meetings. Mark it off. Protect it. These are, by far, the most important meetings you have.
Have a regular format during these meetings, but allow the Holy Spirit to alter your plan. Suggested routines might include worship, times of silent listening (more on that later), consuming God’s word and responding to what God might be communicating to you.
Have a plan for reading God’s word, but be sure the amount doesn’t cause it to become dutiful. It’s not like homework, it’s delightful fellowship
Write down your worship, insights from God’s word and your response. A journal, dedicated to your times alone with God, works great for this.
Our entire time alone with God should be looked at as a time of communing prayer. If at times, your mind wonders into “get it done mode,” pause and reconnect into genuine fellowship.
Throughout the Day
Our communing with God doesn’t have to end when we leave our times of being alone with Him. God is always with us, even in the darkest of times. But we need to be intentional about recognizing His nearness. Some may call it practicing the presence of God, after the book of the same name by Brother Lawrence. He wrote about thinking often of God during the day and night, in our business and in our diversions. He called this art of practicing God’s presence a single act that never ends.
A cook by trade, Brother Lawrence considered his time communing with God while working in the kitchen of the same quality as when he was alone with God on his knees. He learned to cultivate the presence of God by joyfully thanking Him and praising Him as he went through the day.
One of my favorite verses about communicating with God as we go is: Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful (Colossians 4:2 NIV).
Digging deeper into this verse, “devote” means to adhere to, to be steadfastly attentive to, to give unremitting care about something.
So, as we go, even in the midst of the fray of the day, when unexpected brokenness and “interruptions” crowd in, we’re to stick with our continual commitment to communicating with God.
“Watchful” – be active, be aware, be alert for what God’s doing through and around us.
“Thankful” – have an attitude of gratitude, even for the hard things, knowing God, our Fullness of All Joy, is always with us.
Following are some suggestions for staying connected with God and practicing His presence throughout the day.
As you end your alone time with God, ask Him to keep you aware of Him as you tackle the challenges of the day. Talk with Him about the events on your schedule and invite Him into each activity.
If you’ve ever been on a long road trip or hike with a trusted companion, think about the “withness” you experienced. Words were not always spoken, but the extended time together gave you a deep sense of fellowship as you experienced the adventures along the way. Picture, in the dwelling Spirit of Jesus Christ, this same realization of continual “withness”.
As stressful challenges crop up during the day, see these as reminders that God is with you. Realize that whatever “brokenness” you face is not a surprise to your Father God. Talk with Him about it and depend upon Him more deeply in it.
When you are reminded again of God’s presence, after an extended time of focusing only on the endeavor at hand, don’t get discouraged. Simply thank God that you’re thinking of Him now and ask Him to keep you aware of Him now.
Don’t waste the down times. Unless you’ve packed your schedule to the brim, which I have a tendency to do, there will be times you find yourself alone with a bit of “free time”. A tendency is to fill this time with some noise or screen time. Instead, enjoy some silence with God. Love Him. Thank Him. Praise Him. Listen to Him.
Play the “I spy God” game. A number of years ago, Karen and David Mains, in there radio show Chapel of the Air, encouraged folks to go on God hunts throughout the day. Look for God in the beauties of His creation, in unusual “coincidences”, in unexpected encounters with folks. Thank God when you see Him and share the sightings with others.
As we practice these and other rhythms of communing with God, inertia will build and we will more and more experience continual fellowship with the One who loves us and gave Himself for us.
About Brother Lawrence it was written, “He often stated that it is God who paints Himself in the depths of our souls. We must merely open our hearts to receive Him and His loving presence.” [1]
Story:
A couple of years ago I was introduced to a small book on listening prayer entitled Chair Time , by Dan Sutherland. It’s based on what Ephesians 2:4-6 says about us being raised with Christ and seated with Him in heavenly places before the throne of God. The author asks us to picture a multitude of chairs around the throne of God and us seated in one of them. In this scenario, Sutherland asks, who would be doing the talking? Certainly not us.
He encourages a daily rhythm of picking the same chair, in the same place, at the same time, to sit and listen to God.
When we first sit down, Sutherland warns us that our minds will most likely be bombarded with all manner of distractions. His answer is to “spin off” each hampering thought. Perhaps use a “spin off” page to write things on and refer to them later.
When I practice “chair time” I have a journal and a black and blue pen.
The first phase, after “spin off” is called WOW. This is where we focus on being wowed by God’s magnitude and wonder. I usually use a Psalm to stoke the fires of my heart into praise. Using my black pen, I might write some genuine responses to who He is.
Next is NOW. This is when there’s a true acknowledgment of God presence with us right now. It’s believing He’s near, that Jesus, by His Holy Spirit indwells us and that our lives are hidden in Him.
I then write in black ink, “Do You want to say anything to me now?”
The blue ink is for what follows. Sometimes there’s silence, an enjoyment of just being with God. Other times, I get a sense of what He might be saying and I write it done in blue. I’m very careful during these time to be sure what I write down is not just what I want to hear.
An example was when I was listening to what He might be saying concerning the death of my sister. What I believe I heard was, “I am enough. No matter what, I am enough.“
Looking back over the blue ink in my last few journals, What I see is God’s truth from scripture, nothing new. But each time, it’s exactly what I needed to hear at the time.
These things I have spoken to you while remaining with you.But the Helper, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and remind you of all that I said to you (John 14:26-27 NASB).
The last phase is HOW. How do I respond to what I believe God has said? For me, this is usually a prayer written in black ink.
Conclusion
We were designed to live in community with God. When sin separated us, Jesus’ blood brought us back. Our Lord is near. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together (Colossians 1:17 NASB).
We can walk with God, praising Him, talking with Him, listening to Him, depending on Him as we go. Being with Him, savoring His nearness, loving with His love is our path to full joy, in spite of what we face.
Part of the formula for communing with God is time alone. Jesus modeled this for us on countless occasions. But also, when we’re in the midst of our days, our fellowship continues as we seek God’s will and His guidance. Being dedicated to our conversations with Him, we rest in His nearness, abide in His Spirit, listen to His promptings seek to glorify Him with every word and deed. We keep alert, looking to praise Him, thank Him and enjoy Him each moment.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight (Proverbs 3:5-6 NASB)
In all our ways, as we we go, we acknowledge the Lord is with us.
Prayer
Lord, right now I truly recognize You are here. I know it. Yet, sometimes I forget. Sometimes, even in my “quiet times,” I fail to truly acknowledge You. I read Your Word and talk to You, but in becomes an activity, not true fellowship.
I’m sorry, Lord.
In my day, I can get so caught up with the duties, I miss You. I can go large stretches of time not even thinking of You are thanking You for my breaths.
I’m sorry, Lord.
As I write, I sense Your forgiveness and Your desire for me to leave all that’s in the past behind. Right now I go forward with You. Keep me aware of You.
I love you Lord.
Amen.
Personal Study
Chair Time Pick a chair in a place you can have silence and solitude.
Spin Off – Give to the Lord all that crashes into your mind to distract you from quiet.
WOW – Be amazed at who God is and praise His name.
NOW – Recognize God nearness right this moment.
Try and spend at least 15 minutes listening for what God may be saying to you. The recommendation is to write down what you hear. Don’t be discouraged if you hear nothing the first time. Try again.
Follow it up with:
HOW – Determine how to respond to what you’ve heard.
[1] From Goodreads description of The Practice of the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/498641.The_Practice_of_the_Presence_of_God
Please Check out the new Cola City Podcast . Discussions that impact the vision of reaching every man, woman, and child with the gospel.
Joy in the Journey is about the gladness of God’s nearness in the midst of life’s adventures.
Subscribe below to get email notifications of new posts. We post a few times a month. Thank you for reading.
Novels by the Author:
Rob Buck
What happens when a professor figures out how to send messages to his younger self to try and avoid the suicide of his best friend? Did he change more than he bargained for? Beyond Time
By finding two undelivered letters in a old shack deep in the woods, Cassie and Daniel unknowing set off a series of events which uncover a plot to wipe out a whole family Hope Remains
And so the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger” (Luke 2:10-11 NASB).
Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him (I John 3:1 NKJV).
Behold – perceive with the eyes or any of the senses, notice, discern, discover, pay attention, observe, inspect, examine, understand.
Jerry
He used to be an elder at our church, but I haven’t seen Jerry since he completed his chemo treatments for his lymphoma. I look forward to seeing him and celebrating the fact that he’s now cancer free.
I arrive at Loveland’s, a popular coffee shop in Irmo, South Carolina. As a step through the doors, I’m surprised to see a cluster of comfortable chairs unoccupied. Not seeing Jerry, I claim the spot.
The Napkin
As I wait, my thoughts drift back to the breakfast meeting I’d just completed with my son and our friend Seth. I’d opened my eyes during our closing prayer and was surprised by a napkin. Stamped into this simple paper product were flowers with clearly defined petals, standing stalks of wheat and symmetrical lines and shapes of intricate detail.
So much went into such an insignificant item, but you had to take the time to notice it. I’m glad I did. It reminds me of all the colorful details God puts into the wings of butterflies and the flowers of the field for us to enjoy. If we will.
Knees to Knees
Still deep in thought, I’m a bit startled when Jerry suddenly appears. He’d been seated at another part of the shop and we’d missed each other. He sits in the chair to my right and turns towards me. Knees to knees he calls it.
I feel his pastoral heart as he asks me about how I’m handling the passing of my little sister, Marlee, a couple of weeks ago. I tell him it’s been hard, but that I think I’m learning how to grieve.
As I travel these waters of loss, I seem to be able to feel more keenly. Even in this true sadness, there’s also been a deeper appreciation of all of life’s emotions. Through it all, I’m discovering God is enough. Strange how pain is leading me to a more tangible awareness of His sufficiency.
Jerry talks about his journey with cancer, the chemotherapy and the delight of being declared cancer free. He and his bride, Ginny, have had their separate battles with cancer. Hers has been breast cancer. Through it all, they’ve fought together side by side, a beautiful thing. They are closer, like foxhole buddies.
His world shrunk as he was forced to slow down. He’s seen tremendous benefit in stillness and quiet. He is being restored.
Jerry’s Focus for The Year
As our time winds down, Jerry tells me about two focal points he brought into the beginning of this year. Two phrases which have defined his journey; beginning before there was even a thought of cancer:
In the Moment
Surprised by Joy.
In the Moment
Staying present in every situation. As much as possible, bringing our senses into the appreciation of life’s moments. As we discuss it, I think of the napkin and it’s hidden details. It makes me want to slow down and be much more observant. If there can be so much to appreciate in a man-made paper product, what treasures in God’s vast creation await me?
And how about people? How often do I rush past the people God places in my path because I’m distracted by some duty or am caught up with some random train of thought?
God breathed His image into humans. Each person has uniqueness ready to be discovered.
Surprised by Joy
Jerry explains that even though “Surprised by Joy” is the title of a book by C.S. Lewis, he has his own understanding of the term. Joy is surprising him where he would least expect it. As he talks, I get what he means.
How would we ever expect to find joy in things like cancer and death? This strange sensation can only be explained by the Lord’s presence and our journey with Him in the depths of our pain.
Nevertheless I am continually with You; You have taken hold of my right hand. You will guide me with Your plan, And afterward receive me to glory (Psalm 73:23-24 NASB).
Jerry wants to be open to joy in whatever turn his life takes. Come what may, Jerry knows the Lord is his highest joy and worldly circumstances can’t thwart this. This unexpected year has given him ample opportunity to experience the joy of God’s nearness in the midst of his moments.
You will make known to me the way of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; In Your right hand there are pleasures forever (Psalm 16:11 NASB)
My Challenge
Not only is God with me in the grief over Marlee’s death and everything else I’m going though, but He has also created a vast world of treasures for me to behold with Him.
My challenge is to identify and eliminate all threats to recognizing His nearness . These distraction can be external, like electronic devices and busyness. Or they can be internal thoughts which rob my peace.
Prayer
Lord,
What a great morning of discovery. From the amazement of a napkin to the appreciation of time spent with a wise brother, You are calling me to slow down and behold the moments of life.
I’m sorry for how easy it is for me to be distracted by the noise of this world. There’s so much You want to show me. Please call me quickly to You when I stray. I want to behold life with You.
Thank you for how You surprise me with the joy of Your presence. No matter what I face, You are always with me.
I love you Lord.
Epilogue
As I finish this post, I get a text from Jerry – “Thanks for the obituary of your sister. The message, “God is enough”, was repeated and reinforced to me through the whole week. Having coffee at Hardee’s this morning, I was “in the moment” watching a flock of white seagulls in the parking lot in front of Food Lion against a beautiful sky. Nature speaks of God.”Jerry
Even if it’s been a tough year for you, consider this Advent season an opportunity to meet with God, to hear from Him, and to respond to the gentle nudges of the Holy Spirit within you. Nothing will nourish your soul like resetting your pace to match the Savior’s rhythm for you. Nothing re-energizes like saying no to your flesh so you can say yes to the Holy Spirit who’s ready and willing to work in you.Susie Larson
Joy in the Journey is about the gladness of God’s nearness in the midst of life’s adventures.
Subscribe below to get email notifications of new posts. We post a few times a month. Thank you for reading.
Novels by the Author:
What happens when a professor figures out how to send messages to his younger self to try and avoid the suicide of his best friend? Did he change more than he bargained for? Beyond Time
By finding two undelivered letters in a old shack deep in the woods, Cassie and Daniel unknowing set off a series of events which uncover a plot to wipe out a whole family. Hope Remains
As I write on Thursday afternoon of Holy week, there’s a cool spring breeze gently rocking the white azalea and dogwood blossoms at the end of our driveway. The powder blue, cloudless sky beautifully contrasts the tender tree buds, bursting alive from winter’s hold. Other than the sound of a wren chirping in the red tips to my right and the occasional gust of wind swaying the trees, the day is quiet. This seems fitting on this Maundy Thursday when the Lord Jesus celebrated the Passover feast with His disciples the night before He was crucified.
Our friends Jeremey and Karen, who have Messianic Jewish backgrounds, led us through a Seder feast a few days ago. It marked the beginning of the Jewish Passover holiday. Performed from a Christian perspective, the Seder gave a richer appreciation of how the deliverance of the Israelites from Egyptian slavery foreshadowed our deliverance from the power of the evil one by the death of Jesus the Messiah.
How intricately Sovereign God set His story of redemption in motion. How beautifully woven the details He employs to invoke our senses into the experience of His deliverance.
The Feast
We placed an eight-foot table for the ten adults in our living room. The adjacent breakfast room table was designated as the kid’s table. There were nine children ranging from a few months to thirteen years old. Though having so many kids added a bit of noise and confusion, hearing their questions and watching them take it all in was a highlight of the evening.
After all, telling of the Passover story was meant as a reminder of God’s faithfulness throughout the generations. God commanded the Jewish people to celebrate the Lord’s Passover.[1] And the Lord Jesus gave us the Lord’s supper to commemorate His fulfillment of the Passover sacrifice forever. My wife and I were pleased that among the celebrants were two of our children and three of our grandchildren.
A Seder plate, presented to Karen on her thirteenth birthday, was used to serve the elements of the Passover story. It had pictures of the different plagues inflicted upon the Egyptians leading up to the night of Passover, the slaying of the their first born.
Among the items on our plate were:
Parsley – New Growth, also used as the hyssop for painting blood (juice) on the door posts (fashioned in Matzah bread).
Dandelion – Bitter Herbs, bitterness of sin, of slavery and the cup Jesus drank for us.[2]
Charoset (paste of fruit and nuts) – Hope/Sweetness, mortar for the bricks in Egypt, Hope for us because of Christ’s victory in the midst of sin.
Lamb (small lamb bone) – Purity, lamb without blemish, Jesus the Lamb of God.
Matzah (unleavened bread, striped with puncture holes) – Without sin, baked quickly as they left in haste, Jesus’ body, pierced and striped.
Salt Water – Tears of Israel under slavery.
My son in law thought what was on the platter was all we’d have to eat for the evening. With gusto he painted the juice on the Matzah with the parsley and munched the bread. He cut his hunger with dandelion “sandwiches”. It delighted him when, after the Seder, we brought out roasted lamb, potatoes, green-beans and salad.
Shalom
After our meal, we celebrated the Lord’s supper. Our celebration of the Jewish Passover we had just experienced brought new richness to the sacrament Jesus gave us.
As a gift for the evening, we gave each family a wooden dove in scripted with “Shalom.”
I’ve always thought the word meant “peace,” but I’m learning it’s deeper meaning. “Shalom” is be in a state of complete satisfaction, to be finished, to be perfected.
On the cross, when Jesus said, “It is finished,”[3] our complete peace was purchased. His life completed our forgiveness, our value, and our eternal right standing with God. Though our lives may contain sickness, pain, and brokenness, the peace Jesus died for does not change. Ever.
Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful (John 14:27 NASB).
Prayer
Dear Lord, I’m appreciating more than ever the significance of Your redemption story. Ranging from Your words to the serpent in the garden, through the deliverance of your people from slavery, to the giving up of your Son on our behalf, You have desired to redeem us from the power of sin. You’ve provided a way for us to be able to commune with You forever. We are complete in You. You have given us a deep peace which can not be altered by anything in the world. The “peace” of “Shalom” flows from our completeness in You. It is finished!
Joy in the Journey is about the gladness of God’s nearness in the midst of life’s adventures.
Subscribe below to get email notifications of new posts. We post a few times a month. Thank you for reading.
Novels by the Author:
What happens when a professor figures out how to send messages to his younger self to try and avoid the suicide of his best friend? Did he change more than he bargained for? Beyond Time
By finding two undelivered letters in a old shack deep in the woods, Cassie and Daniel unknowing set off a series of events which uncover a plot to wipe out a whole family. Hope Remains
Enjoying the sun warming my face as I sit beside our waterfall on a prespring morning. The trees are awaiting the summons to explode into their canopy of multiple shades of green. As I take my last sip of coffee, the sunlight sparkles across the stream as the water cascades down the rocks into the turquoise pool below.
Two windchimes catch the breeze as it passes through the porch overhang and trade melodic peels. A wren rejoices in the new day splendor. A butterfly flutters past and lands among the yellow daffodils surrounding the garden fountain.
Our rooster crows, impatient to lead the hens out to scratch and peck. An anticipating young hawk squawks as it circles the barnyard. The coolness of the morning wind, carrying a hint of fragrant tea olive, refreshes my face.
The last twelve months have been strange. Sports were shut down. Politics and news became unbearable. Less distractions can breed moments as I describe above, intentionally savoring the details of our lives. But these moments don’t come easy for me. It’s a constant battle. Life flies by at alarming speed. A quiet, internal voice whispers, “Slow down.”
God has given us five sense to bring awareness of His creation around us. These senses are available now, not yesterday, not tomorrow, but now.
What are some of your favorites?
For me:
Sight: Sunset or sunrise over water or mountains
Sound: Water rushing past rocks in a mountain stream
Smell: Tea olive, gardenias
Touch: Sea breeze, fall wind in my face, soft sheets
Taste: Chocolate pie, dark coffee
When we savor now, we’re enjoying what God has given us. A lady on a plane once told me that’s why now is called the present. It’s a gift.
There’s a movie entitled Our Town which drives home this point.
Emily, one of the characters, dies while giving birth to a child. However, she is permitted by the stage manager to revisit the past and to step back into the morning of her twelfth birthday as an observer.
From her vantage point, she has a nostalgic appreciation of the transient beauty of life’s little moments. However, she’s struck by how the people, including her younger self, don’t have a clue how precious the moments really are. She is stunned that nobody savors and fully appreciates now.
Emily saw everyone as so disengaged. She would later ask the stage manager, “Do human beings ever realize life while they live it?”
Emily’s questions is profoundly convicting. How many moments have I missed by regretting the past or worrying about the future? How many opportunities have I missed with the ones I love? Do I lean in and truly listen? Or am I more concerned with what I’ll say in response? Am I really with others or am I half engaged, pondering a pressing duty?
Even in my morning times with God? Have I already allowed the awaiting responsibilities to distract me? Have I forgotten that God, the Creator of the universe, wants to be with me and enjoys my fellowship?
The Lord your God is in your midst, A victorious warrior. He will exult over you with joy, He will be quiet in His love, He will rejoice over you with shouts of joy, (Zephaniah 3:17 NASB)
Have I forgotten there is no place for worry?
“So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”[1] Jesus
And as I go into the day, do I forget to “abide” in Jesus the Vine of Life, to “tarry,” to “stay present with” Him?
Staying present with Jesus is essential to my day. Otherwise, He tells me my efforts are worth nothing. [2] How exhausting and deflating is that?
Challenge: Take notice of what you see and hear right this moment. Do you smell anything? Perhaps you’re drinking a cup of coffee and feel a gentle breeze upon your face.
What tends to call you away from being fully present? Is it a looming duty, a past regret, worrying about the future? Whatever it is it robs you of fully embracing the gift of now. Give these things to God and don’t take them back.
The people in our lives are loved and cared for during life’s present moments. In an instant, now become a memory. When we savor our times, with the people God places in our paths, there’s a richness which touches our hearts and slows the swirl of life.
But what’s most important is being present with God. We are indwelt by the Holy Spirit of Jesus. God is in us and around us. We are in Him and He is in us. We are never alone. He’s always ready to enjoy the moment with us.
In Your presence is fullness of joy. (Psalm 16:11b NASB)
Joy in the Journey is about the gladness of God’s nearness in the midst of life’s adventures.
Subscribe below to get email notifications of new posts. We post a few times a month. Thank you for reading.
Novels by the Author:
What happens when a professor figures out how to send messages to his younger self to try and avoid the suicide of his best friend? Did he change more than he bargained for? Beyond Time
By finding two undelivered letters in a old shack deep in the woods, Cassie and Daniel unknowing set off a series of events which uncover a plot to wipe out a whole family. Hope Remains
And now, O Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is in you. Psalm 39:7
“What do you think?” a voice interrupts your thoughts.
Suddenly you’re brought back to the present. Your spouse, your child, your friend has been sharing something important, but you were thinking about what was next on your never ending to-do list. You have no idea what they just said. Busted!
On another occasion you miss a magical moment on your family vacation because you’re dwelling on a regret from your past.
God has given us five sense to bring awareness of His creation around us. These senses are available now, not yesterday, not tomorrow, but now.
What are some of your favorites when it comes to your senses?
For me:
Sight: Sunset or sunrise over water or mountains
Sound: Water rushing past rocks in a mountain stream
Smell: Tea olive, gardenias
Touch: Sea breeze, fall wind in my face, soft sheets
Taste: Chocolate pie, dark coffee
When we savor now, we’re enjoying a gift from God. A lady on a plane once told me that’s why now is called the present.
There’s an old movie entitled “Our Town” which drives this point home.
One of the characters named, Emily, dies while giving birth to a child. However, she is permitted by the stage manager to revisit the past and to step back into the morning of her sixteenth birthday as an observer.
From her vantage point, she has a profoundly nostalgic appreciation of the transient beauty of life’s little moments. However, she is struck by how the people, including her younger self, don’t have a clue how precious the moments of life really are. She is stunned that nobody savors and fully appreciates “now”. They all seem so disengaged. Later she would say of the living, “They don’t understand.”
“Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead,”[1] Paul
“So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”[2] Jesus
God doesn’t want us to be imprisoned by the regrets of our past nor fears of our future. He wants us to be present with Him moment by moment.
Jesus tells us in John 15 to “abide” in Him. Other meanings of this word are to “tarry” or “stay present with.” Jesus goes on to say in the same chapter that there is complete joy found in “staying present” in His love and loving others as He has loved us.
Staying present with Jesus is essential to our Spiritual lives and it leads to experiencing and savoring life’s moments. Otherwise, life quickly passes us by.
Challenge: Take notice of what you see and hear right this moment. Do you smell anything? Perhaps you’re drinking a cup of coffee and feel a gentle breeze upon your face like I’m experiencing as I write.
What tends to call you away from being fully present? Is it a looming duty, a past regret, a worry about the future? Whatever it is robs you of fully embracing the gift of now. Give these things to God and don’t take them back.
The people in our lives are loved and cared for during life’s “nows”. In an instant our present moments become memories. When we savor our times with the people God places in our path there’s a richness which touches our hearts and slows the swirl of life.
But what’s most important is being present with God. We are indwelt by the Holy Spirit of Jesus and we are never alone. God is in us and around us. We are in Him and He is in us.
Tarry, remain, abide in Jesus. His presence is experienced now.
