The Present is a Gift Indeed!

Yes, this is a repost from last May, but oh so relevant today as well!  I find myself constantly battling to find meaningful time with God as I go to and fro with all the busyness of life, and therefore I share this again….a reminder to myself to make time, and a reminder to others to be thankful and to carve out time to build and renew your relationship with God!!

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The Present is a Gift Indeed!!

Today is indeed a gift, hence the reason it is called the present. An old saying, but nonetheless true! I have been running from one end of creation to the other like a wild banshee with work, parenting, housekeeping, and building a relationship, not to mention Bible studies, worship and Church. I would trade none of it, but man there are those days that I get so busy that I forget what is truly important, what is most valuable in my life.

God is so often pushed to the side as there are so many other things that vie for my time. I squeeze Him in as though He can wait for those 5 minute moments here and there in the car, in the shower, or anyplace else I actually have a moment to be left alone. As I reflect on the last few weeks, I have come to realize that my priorities are out of whack. ALL that I HAVE, I HAVE because God gave it to me. NOTHING is my own, NOTHING have I created, NOTHING have I earned. It is all GOD. Take a look at Deuteronomy 8:10-18

10 When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the LORD your God for the good land he has given you. 11 Be careful that you do not forget the LORD your God, failing to observe his commands, his laws and his decrees that I am giving you this day. 12 Otherwise, when you eat and are satisfied, when you build fine houses and settle down, 13 and when your herds and flocks grow large and your silver and gold increase and all you have is multiplied, 14 then your heart will become proud and you will forget the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. 15 He led you through the vast and dreadful wilderness, that thirsty and waterless land, with its venomous snakes and scorpions. He brought you water out of hard rock. 16 He gave you manna to eat in the wilderness, something your ancestors had never known, to humble and test you so that in the end it might go well with you. 17 You may say to yourself, “My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.” 18 But remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your ancestors, as it is today.

God has provided us with all we have…food, land, house, water and wealth. Nothing comes from us, but from God’s BLESSINGS. Each breath we breathe, each step we take, each thought we think, each word we say, each letter we type are all gifts from God. The car that starts each morning, the job that supplies all the necessities of life, the family that comes along side of us, the church that builds us up all are gifts from God. The home you sleep in, the computer you communicate with, the water you drink and bathe with all are gifts from God. NOTHING is my own, but all beautiful gifts from God to remind me of his covenant to those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. They are there to remind me of eternity, to set my mind on things above, not to be taken for granted.

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Glancing upon all that God has truly blessed me with has gently reminded me that He loves me so and desires to spend time with me and to be a part of my life, from the mundane to the hectic parts of it. How could I push Him aside when He has so richly blessed me indeed? How could I shove Him into convenient little moments that don’t allow time to really listen to Him? I feel my finger pointing at me accusingly, with “shame on you” emanating forth. When we love someone, we want to spend every waking moment with them, talking to them, listening to them, laughing with them, and basking in the joy of that relationship. God is no different! He loves us and wants to spend every waking moment with us. Should we not desire the same? Yes, we need to live life and take care of the responsibilities God has given us on this earth. However, we need to prioritize and make sure we are making time, scheduling and planning longer than 5 or 10 minutes to sit with Him each day.

Enjoy the gifts of the present and take time to thank and honor God for all He has blessed you with and to hear His still, small voice! All my love to you!