Just some early morning thoughts from me to you…
“How do you know what is going to happen tomorrow? For the length of your lives is as uncertain as the morning fog—now you see it; soon it is gone.”
James 4: 14 (TLB)“And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul?”
Matthew 16: 26 (NLT)
365 days seems like a gift of plenty of time. For whatever.
That was the thought which crossed our minds as the book of 365 days for 2022 began to turn one-page-at-a-time, a year ago.
Yet here we are beginning 2023, with 2022 in our rear-view mirror in what seems like the blink of an eye.
A quick confession. January 14, 2023, was two days ago. Done. In the books.
But a less-than-noteworthy moment for me because while I worked on seemingly important things, I missed a chance to share a moment with my bride.
One day. Done. In the books.
A moment missed. A much more important moment than what I chose instead.
Today is January 16, 2023. The only January 16, 2023, we will have. A day full of moments—to be embraced, or moments to be missed.
I wonder what we will do with it and other moments in the days before us.
I wonder when we will start to live each day of our lives as if it were the last we may have. Because it very well may be.
If we realized the sobering truth of that which James shared in the passage from chapter 4, verse 14 of his letter—
I wonder how we would talk to those we love and who love us.
I wonder how we would choose to spend our time each day.
I wonder the moments of positive impact we would try to have on others.
I wonder if we would leave the side of our loved ones as readily and as often as we do.
I wonder how often we would stay the extra hours at the practice facility preparing for an upcoming game, or at the office to make sure we get that new account that might lead to a raise or a promotion.
When will we truly consider the cost of the moments missed in the lives of loved ones and those others who need us, which God has entrusted to us.
And at what cost to the fullness of our life which God created and intended for us to live.
In his song, “Keep Me in the Moment,” Jeremy Camp reflects on those moments missed, and offers a prayer to God, to help him see and seize the important moments of life—
“I’ve been thinking ’bout time, and where does it go
How can I stop my life from passing me by, I don’t know
I’ve been thinking ’bout family and how it’s going so fast
Will I wake up one morning just wishing that I could go back
I’ve been thinking ’bout lately,
Maybe I can make a change and let you change me
So, with all of my heart this is my prayer—
Singing oh Lord— ‘Keep me in the moment, help me live with my eyes wide open
‘Cause I don’t wanna miss what you have for me
Singing oh Lord, show me what matters, Throw away what I’m chasing after,
‘Cause I don’t wanna miss what you have for me
Keep me in the moment, Oh, keep me in the moment
Keep me in the moment, ‘Cause I don’t wanna miss what you have for me.”
My friends, 365 days seems like plenty of time. A gift from God.
For whatever.
I wonder what a look into the rear-view mirror of our 2023 will look like showing us what we did with it.
Lord, please keep us in the moment. Amen and Amen.
In His Name–Scott
PS. You’ll be lifted watching and listening to the video of “Keep Me in the Moment” by Jeremy Camp.
