Another Monday

Another Monday

Now what? Spring break has come and gone. The adventures were had, the experiences enjoyed and the memories formed. Now back to life. Back to the to-do list, back to the expectations, hopes, dreams, and fears. We put life “on hold” for a week, but it still waited for us to return. Will we live it the same as before? Will we do the same things in the same ways? Will we make the same mistakes? I hope that we take every opportunity given to us by God to start fresh and new. His mercies are new every morning, so should our outlook be. We have been given another week, another day, another five minutes. What will we do with that time? How will we use it in a meaningful way that gives God glory and helps to advance His kingdom on earth as in heaven?

Let me share just a couple of things with you that can equip you for whatever you may be facing today:

1. First, remember that when you are on the beach, in the office, at a funeral, tailgating with friends or wherever else you may find yourself, God is there. He is present. He is with you and for you and if you are a Believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, God’s Spirit is in you. Repeat this to yourself often. Express gratitude to God for His presence. Rely on His presence in weakness and temptation. Celebrate His presence as you would rejoice over being reunited with a loved one.
2. Second, remember that God is not near to you because of where you are, what you have done (or not done) or because of what you think or how you feel. God is near because that is who He is. God is near because He loves you and He wants to save and heal and deliver you. God is near because He is everywhere all the time pursuing us.
3. Third, remember that God’s nearness is not license to do whatever we want (like some kind of lucky “charm”), nor is His presence merely there to make us feel better about ourselves (so we can be happy). He is present because He wants to walk and talk with us and lead us to holiness. Our awareness of God’s presence ought to make us humble, introspective, penitent and confessional.
4. Fourth, remember that God’s presence is the greatest gift we can ever receive in our lives and especially in our very souls. We need to remember that our nearness to God does not depend on any outward thing in this world or any specific thought, feeling or memory but rather it depends on who He is and His eternal promises. Our simple faith and obedience can open the door for God’s holy presence to rush into our hearts and lives in mighty ways!

In light of these 4 reminders about God’s presence, I encourage you to get busy thanking God for His presence and living life as if God is actually near. Give the next 5 minutes of your life to God. Give over your struggles, worries, fears, imperfections, weaknesses and while you are at it don’t forget to give to Him all of the good things in your life as well. So, on another Monday, or a new week or just another 5-minute interval, let us ask God (who is near!) to help us, guide us, direct us, change us, fill us, sanctify us, use us. Let us not make decisions about life as if it were all up to us. Let us not try and figure it out and then show God our beautiful plan. Let us rely on God, who is perfect, holy and able. Let us remember that God, who is able, is also near and that changes everything. Let’s live like it!