Grace for Today

If Jesus came back today and asked you, "What have you done with what I've given you?" What would be your response? Would you be able to say that you've used everything He's given you? Or would your response be that you didn't use everything He gave you for today because you were so focused on tomorrow? We live in a culture that is so future focused and future oriented that we miss the moments of the present. We don't use the gifts and mercies and opportunities presented to us today, because we overlook it all by focusing on what's next. I've been thinking about this lately. And it's caused me to be much more aware of where my thoughts are. Am I living each moment, each day to the fullest by embracing all He's put before me? Or am I letting each beautiful, present moment slip by and missing the impact of the present because I'm believing the future is the only thing that matters? Tomorrow will come and all the things of tomorrow will occur the way it's been planned. Longing for what's next without living for what's now doesn't change the future, but it does rob the present. It's so easy to get caught in this cycle. Where all areas of life become this mundane routine and we get stuck believing that there is no purpose in the present, we just have to make it to what's next. And then once we get to what's next, the cycle begins again.

God didn't give us the moments of today to live them out in a longing and dissatisfied state. I want to be known for how I live every moment for Him, not for my glory, but His. So that in every season, every moment, people can see Christ. He's given us the gift of today, how selfish of us to not spend each moment living it for Him? Bringing the glory back to Him? I think the Enemy wants to do everything he can to force us not to consider the present as a gift and as valuable. He wants us to spend all our days wanting to be anywhere but the present. Because when we are satisfied in the now, we find ourselves content at the feet of Jesus, His plan, and in His green pastures filled with rest. When the Enemy attacks the present, we will always find ourselves in an endless circle of discontentment and an itch to do anything but stay in the moment. We will forever live our lives half heartedly. If, in the present, the only thing we think about is the future, then once we get to the future (which becomes the present) we will only think about the future that will follow the once sought for future, which is now the discontented present. I wonder how different society would look like if we were people who lived every moment to the fullest and to bring the greatest glory to the Lord. Can you imagine the questions it would raise? How many people would wonder where the peace in the present comes from? How we live our lives with such contentment in where He has our feet now? We have the choice of how we will view our lives. I can look at my life and see all the people and places I can choose to serve and live in the fullness of each of those moments everyday. Or I can look at my life, longing for and thinking of all the moments I wish I was living now. The moments and places I wish I was living in now. Wow, that last mindset, what a robber of joy, peace, and life. And it is the tactic of the Enemy everyday to get us to think of where we could be, instead of find the joy of where we are. Remember, see, recognize the graces, the beauty, the joys, the life that God has given you for today. And thank God that each day He renews it. Thank God that everyday, there are new opportunities to share the gift we have in Jesus through the gift of today and how we live it out.

"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full."

-John 10:10

We don't need to make the manna for today last for the needs of tomorrow. There will be new manna provided for all that is to come tomorrow. Just take the manna for today and trust He will provide for both today and tomorrow. Otherwise, it is exhausting to try to devour and hoard so much manna for all the days that haven't come yet. But, when we obey and just take enough to sustain us for today, tomorrow will result in just the same. Sustainment. Providence. Fullness. Life. Show up, use your gifts, be fully planted where your feet are, trust He'll sustain you, and watch how He uses the manna for today.

"This is what the Lord has commanded: 'Everyone is to gather as much as they need. Take an omer for each person you have in your tent.' The Israelites did as they were told; some gathered much, some little... everyone had gathered as just as much as they needed. Then Moses said to them, 'No one is to keep any of it until morning.' However, some of them paid no attention to Moses; they kept part of it until morning, but it was full of maggots and began to smell."

-Exodus 16:16-20

"Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."

-Matthew 6:34