How did you do last week? Did you find time to reconnect with God and experience some restoration in your heart?
I hope you did, and I was able to experience some rest and refreshment in my soul as well.
Over the past couple of weeks, we have been preparing our hearts and minds to experience a reset. The year has been flying by, and without restoration, our mind, body, and soul can experience fatigue or weariness.
My hope for you is that your summer is a time to step back, rest, and feel a rejuvenation in your spirit.
At the end of 2020, hope was on the horizon that the vaccines would cure the pandemic, while at the same time, we saw a record number of infections and deaths.
Today, we sit nearly eight months from that point, and our world is experiencing a second resurgence of a variant. I had planned to take a three-week sabbatical and road trip to Yellowstone, but work and other circumstances have postponed that adventure.
However, this year, I have already taken a two-week vacation and have another one on the books for September, which will get me on an airplane, and I can't wait.
Sometimes our lives feel like they are on pause. Being on pause is not a bad thing. I recommend we hit the pause button occasionally to restore our weariness or take an adventure.
But…our lives were not meant to be on pause for an indefinite period of time. Our lives were meant to be lived fully, and that includes getting out after the lockdowns.
I am reminded of this passage from James 4:14,
“How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone.”
Planning for life is a good thing. We plan for vacations, family visits, our educational pursuits, and retirement.
But with our planning, we must be careful not to let our stress and anxiety build-up to the point that we hold back on our dreams.
Just as James said, ”Your life is like the morning fog-it’s here a little while, then it’s gone.”
Recently, I was housesitting, and I awoke to a fog that had rolled in over the local mountains. It was beautiful. I grabbed my camera and took a few pictures.
I knew the fog would not be around forever, and when it rolled away, it would reveal the mountain peaks that were hidden.
Just like the fog that rolls in, and “hides” the peaks, our tomorrow can be obscured from view by our circumstances.
Whether it is the stress or anxiety of our current circumstances or the fear of tomorrow, our lives were not meant to be lived on a permanent pause.
If we are not careful, life will pass us by, and we will miss the beauty of today and the hope of tomorrow.
Scripture says we are not guaranteed tomorrow, but we should have hope in our future. Our current location is just the waiting room; it is not the final destination.
Our final destination is heaven for those who believe in Christ.
Application
What does your “today” look like? Do you have hope in a future that begins today and concludes tomorrow?
Every day we start the cycle anew, which is exciting.
I heard a story that a man filled a jar with pennies. He thought he would live to be 80 years old. When he turned 80 years old, he decided to take a penny out of the jar for every day beyond 80 that he was alive.
He determined that every day beyond 80 years old was a gift, and it was not to be wasted.
You might be thinking that 80 years old is too young to be counting your days, but many of us probably know people who have died too soon for one reason or another.
When we view each day as a gift from one perspective or the other, it helps us reset our souls.
Penny Challenge: Find a jar and put a penny away every day, week, month, or year, whatever you choose to represent your life expectancy. Store it and when you reach that age, start pulling them out every day beyond that time. Will it change the way you see and live life?
Remember, life is a gift – we only have one life to live – will you live for today?
Prayer
Lord, thank you for the small reminder to live each day to the fullest. Please bring rest to our souls, and help us to live each day to the fullest. And please help us to make a difference every day in someone’s life. Amen!
Resources
- Jesus Calling – Sarah Young
- You Should Retire Now – At the Table podcast
Listen On…
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