Where do you live? I don’t mean your physical address. I’m talking about where you live mentally. Do you live in the past, reliving memories of what used to be? Or do you live in the future – imagining what life will be like in 5 or 10 years? Maybe you’re one of the few people who live in the present, content to focus on the here and now. I have to admit it’s often challenging for me to embrace one day at a time.
Last night I was intent on completing an article that should have been written several days ago. It was evening by the time I sat down to finish the last few paragraphs. And of course writer’s block came knocking on my door, followed by every distraction known to mankind. Okay, maybe I’m exaggerating, but you get the picture…
Add to my mental chaos, my daughter, Riley, who was trying to share the details of her day with me. With fingers poised above the keyboard, I’d like to tell you I made the right decision: I set aside what I thought was urgent (finishing my article) in favor of what was most important (spending valuable time with my daughter).
Instead, I tried to accomplish both at the same time. A few keystrokes here, followed by a few spoken words there. I wasn’t giving 100% of my attention to either Riley or the article I was writing.
The reality
There are times I do the same thing with God. Yes, I sit down to spend time in prayer and Bible study; but my thoughts are already galloping ahead to what I have planned for the day. Does that ever happen to you?
I’m encouraged by a conversation that took place between the Lord and Moses. The children of Israel had left Egypt and were now at the foot of Mt. Sinai. The Lord called Moses up into the mount to receive the commandments and law that He would write on tablets of stone. Notice what the Lord said to Moses:
And the Lord said unto Moses, Come up to me into the mount, and be there: and I will give thee tables of stone, and a law, and commandments which I have written; that thou mayest teach them. Exodus 24:12
God’s reminder
Did you catch it? The Lord told Moses to meet with Him and “be there.” God knew the frailty of human nature. He had to remind Moses to be focused on each moment they were communing, because it would be easy to get distracted by the past or the future.
No doubt, leading the Israelites was a huge responsibility. One that could cause Moses to focus too much on the end goal of getting to the Promised Land, and miss out on what was happening on a daily basis.
What an important lesson for us: to be fully engaged with what’s happening each day. To be 100% present as we walk through whatever the Lord brings our way today.
Your turn
Where are you living today? What step will you take to live in the present and be 100% there?
Prayer: Heavenly Father, Thank You for Your gentle reminders. It’s easy to get stuck in the past or so focused on the future, that I miss out on what You have for me today. Help me remember Your instruction to Moses to ‘be there.’ And let me live that way today. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
