Be Present: Today

"What day is it?"
"It's today," squeaked Piglet.
"My favorite day," said Pooh.  –A. A. Milne

When our daughter was still very young, she loved Winnie the Pooh.  Her childhood days were filled with wonder and play.  Every person had the potential of being a new friend, and if they were just her size, she was eager to see if they wanted to be playmates.  Playing house only required imagination and a willingness on my part to sit on a miniature chair as she prepared plastic vegetables for dinner.

Over the years, I’ve grown fond of looking for stuffed toy “Winnie the Poohs” for her as I travel and minister—Partly because the Dad DNA in me is inclined to spoil her, and partly because it reminds me of the days when Pooh was as real as neighbors, summers seemed to linger forever, and school was some day when she “grew up.”

Those “todays” seem long ago.

Today, our schedule is packed full of demands and deadlines.  Between my church commitments, my wife’s 12-hour shifts at the NICU, and our daughter’s academic responsibilities, sports rehab, and extracurricular activities, it sometimes feels like today’s a too-small-carry-on-packed-too-full-to-fit in the overhead compartment.

My iPhone, and iCal, and MacBook Pro aren’t synced well enough for me to optimally track my appointments, my wife’s work schedule, and the various activities at the academy for my daughter. I sometimes feel like today gets lost in the scramble to go from one critical commitment to the next.

I miss the “today” of Winnie the Pooh and Piglet.

Not that I want to go back in time, but rather, that I can all too easily let “today” become a tool instead of a treasure.  Today can be made to take a toll instead of offer a twinkle.  If I’m not careful, today disappears in the deluge of the urgent—Too often, as of late, I’ve made today drudgery.

“This day belongs to the Lord!
    Let’s celebrate
    and be glad today.” –Psalm 118:24 [CEV]

In some ways, “today” is like the stuffed animal presents I would get my little girl during my travels.  Today is a gift.  Undeserved, unassuming, yet full of joy, and love, and imagination.  There are smiles to be had, moment’s brimming with gladness and celebration.  Today is stuffed with enough goodness to make it my favorite day.  Today can be like Winnie the Pooh and Piglet.

However in order to receive the present of today, I need to be present. . . today.

Encounter Prayer:

21 I praise the Lord
    for answering my prayers
    and saving me.
22 The stone that the builders
    tossed aside
    has now become
    the most important stone.

23 The Lord has done this,
    and it is amazing to us.
24 This day belongs to the Lord!
    Let’s celebrate
    and be glad today.
25 We’ll ask the Lord to save us!
    We’ll sincerely ask the Lord
    to let us win. Amen.

--Psalm 118:21-25 [CEV]

Much like my daughter's earliest years, today, GOD is calling you into a childlike faith, permitting you to see this day with the imagination of GOD-sized possibilities.  Our heavenly Father is always thinking of you, eager to give you gifts for no good reason.  His blessings happen in the unexpected moments of this day simply for the sake of His delight in you.  

But so unlike my earliest daddy years, GOD, your heavenly Father, is giving you so much more than an airport gift shop stuffed animal.  GOD is giving you the cornerstone of the world, Christ Jesus--He's giving you His favorite Son today, His favorite day.

May today be a gift to you from GOD, filled with all the wonder, celebration, and joy He intends.

Encounter the Word:

For a day in your courts is better
    than a thousand elsewhere.
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
    than dwell in the tents of wickedness. –Psalm 84:10 [ESV]

Encounter:

• If you were to cultivate a childlike faith, what might you see today as a gift from GOD?
• Who might you share your "gifts" with today?
• How might you shape your days to start seeing each one as a gift?  What role might Christ Jesus play in the new shape of your day, today?

Be Present: The Perfected Way By Lisa Tilstra

My first international move has now become two-month-old history.  It’s hard to believe.  Time goes by so quickly. 

That phrase is so cliché, and yet so true: Time goes by so quickly. 

How much of time rushing by is due to my impatience, though? 

How many times in the past few months did I think, “I can’t wait until this move is over”?  (A lot!)

Now that I’m here, how often do I find myself thinking, “I can’t wait until these first few months of adjustment are over”? (Repeatedly!)

If I’m not careful, I find I’m just wishing my time away.  And deep in my heart that is the last thing I want to do.  Life is too precious to wish away.

Our move to the Philippines has challenged me on many levels.  Summing up the challenges, though, it’s one main thing: staying present. 

Every day, and all that comes to pass during those 24 hours, is a gift.  Every moment I spent with family and friends before we left—a gift.  Each hour discussing plans and strategies with my husband—gifts.  Every opportunity to learn about my new home—a gift.
 
Even today, as difficult as it was, has been a gift. I have experienced myriad emotions—frustration, joy, bitterness, hope, excitement, anger.  I’m emotionally exhausted as the day ends and everything rationale says, “This was not a good day.”

And yet, when I pause, I see beauty, mystery, intrigue.  Today was a gift. 

Before I was born, GOD knew today. He knew my today. --Psalm 139:16 [my paraphrase]

In light of this truth, I’m humbled.  I stop and raise my eyes to heaven in amazement and wonder. This moment is my gift from GOD.  Tomorrow is unknown.  I’m already telling stories about yesterday.  Today—right now—this is it!  This is the best. 

Whatever is going on in your life right now—in this moment, remember, “It is GOD who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect.” --Psalm 18:32 [NIV]  GOD does not promise a perfect way.  He promises to make my way perfect.  Today, included.

It takes courage to keep both feet in today.   Will you join me in being present today?  Open your heart to receive GOD’s gift?  Embrace His design… His perfecting of your way.

Encounter:

• What are ways you rushing time away impatiently?
• During moments of impatience, what do you need to step into the present?
• When plans are not going as anticipated, how can remembering GOD is perfecting your way, help you stay present?

Encounter Prayer:  
Father GOD, You have created today as a gift.  May I open my heart to sense Your presence.  Give me glimpses of how You are perfecting my way.  Fill me with courage to stay present.  I commit this gift of time to You.
“Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.  Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him.” --Psalm 37:5-7a [NIV]

Devotional by Lisa Tilstra.  Posted by A. Allan Martin by permission.

Behold the Power of a Smile

The day started out like any other Thursday that semester. Two classes in the morning, lunch, then my biology lab. It wasn’t what you would call the most pleasant day outside, either. After a week of sunshine had graced the campus, I woke up to the sound of rain dribbling outside my window. Outside it was gray, overcast, and downright gloomy. I’m not one of those people who hits instant depression upon losing sight of the sun, but I wasn’t deliriously happy, either. I was having what you could call a "blah" day, where I didn’t care one way or the other how my classes went, I was just going.

During lunch I was reading in the school paper some of the comments the director of campus security had regarding some of his department’s actions toward the students, and they were quite condescending toward us, I felt. Well, what started out as a "blah" day became a disgruntled day. I’d had a couple of run-ins myself with that gentleman and so had a couple friends of mine, so I already wasn’t what you would call supportive of he or his security people. His remarks just made my blood simmer a little bit, and the outside gloominess didn’t really go very far in melting my irritation.

I left my room and began the trek across campus toward the science building for my biology lab, still thinking about the security director’s comments. I looked up just before I passed the administration building and walking the other direction was a cute blonde girl named Emily. Her name was about the extent of my knowledge about her, but she did know my roommate, and I had met her once at the beginning of the year. However, not having any classes with her I don’t think I said a thing to her after August, and it was now March.

Any way, I happened to look up and see her walking, and as I usually do when someone walks by me I was going to smile (although I really wasn’t in the mood at that point in time). Before I could move my lips in the right direction, she smiled at me, and it blew my mind. I did manage to smile back, but when she smiled at me first it had the same effect as if the sun had just melted all the clouds away and birds were singing in the trees. I was walking on air the rest of the way to the science building, and it was because of one smile.

I’m not going to say that we eventually started dating, got married, or struck up some profound friendship. Actually, things just continued the way they’d been since August. But the feeling of happiness I got from that one smile stayed with me the rest of the day. I got to thinking at how great I felt at something so simple as a smile. It cost no money, little [if any] time, and it took no great effort, yet Emily’s one little smile brightened my whole day. The rest of my day I tried to return the favor to people I saw walking by me, and I noticed that it made me feel good, too.

That tiny, insignificant little gift of a smile got me to thinking about something that Jesus said. In Luke 6:38, Jesus said, "Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back"

What that means to me is that God isn’t sitting around waiting for us to have what one of my professors calls "a Damascus road experience." It’s through the little, seemingly insignificant things that He looks at. Remember the widow and her mites? She gave what she had, and Jesus said that in heaven her reward would be great. I’m not saying that you should walk around with a joker type grin on your face, then people really would think you were crazy! Just take a half second and smile at a passerby because who knows, maybe they were having a really bad day, and your smile made it a little brighter. Not only might it make them feel a little better, but it will make you feel better, too. Don’t look to convert multitudes of people, take it one little thing at a time, for your example can often times be the greatest testimony to God that there is.

encounter: What is the gift you are going to give today?