Now Is the Time
I was working out at the gym, halfway through a hard interval cardio workout. Thoughts of cutting it short, giving in, crept into my mind. Then, I looked to my left. There was the smiling, familiar face of the man whose atrophied legs hang lifeless beneath the walker he uses to drag himself from machine to machine to do his upper body workout. He was slowly making his way to the next machine.
Eighteen hours later I was looking through the glass at inmates talking to loved ones during the weekly visitation at jail. I saw one young man place his hand on the glass, as his girlfriend placed her hand on the glass on the other side …
I believe the Holy Spirit speaks to us often, perhaps not as God spoke to young Samuel (see 1 Samuel 3), but in the mysterious reaches of our soul and through the people we encounter over the course of a lifetime.
Sometimes I wonder what things God has wanted me to see or hear through the years that I missed because I was distracted.
That’s probably much of what the author of Psalm 119 wanted to guard against when praying, “Keep me from paying attention to what is worthless.” (Psalm 119:37)
I also believe we’re more likely to hear from God when we’re intentional about seeking him. After all, Jesus promised, “Keep seeking and you will find.” (Matthew 7:7)
Years ago, during a college mission trip to South Florida, we worshiped with our brothers and sisters in Christ at Miramar United Methodist Church. Most of its members were of color. Many of them spoke with lovely Caribbean accents.
It was New Year’s Day. We had tickets to the Miami Dolphins football game, kicking off at 1pm. It would have been easy to skip morning worship. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t consider it, and I was solely in charge of planning.
But if I embrace the greatest commandment (Matthew 22:37), if I take seriously Jesus’ call to “Follow Me” (Matthew 9:9), and if I truly believe as I told the college students that God’s plans for a mission trip might not look anything like our plans for a mission trip, wouldn’t it have been hypocritical to start the new year beneath the covers in the bed instead of worshipping in the church pew?
On that Sunday morning in Miramar, the senior pastor spoke of a woman who for decades had chosen one word to focus her prayer life upon for an entire year. It was a compelling story.
As I sat in the pews, many words crossed my mind, but for some reason I kept thinking of a phrase too …
Taken for granted.
If you’re like me, you probably have a long list of people and things you have taken for granted.
It’s easy to do.
I take my legs for granted until I see someone whose legs don’t work anymore.
I take giving someone I love a hug for granted until I see a prisoner separated by glass, longing for one touch.
I take gathering for worship and fellowship and attending sporting events and concerts for granted until a deadly virus falls upon the world.
I take hearing from God for granted, until I stop and think about how I spend way too much time “paying attention to what is worthless.”
“I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor,” Paul wrote to the Corinthian church. (2 Corinthians 6:2)
Now is the time to stop taking people and things for granted.
Now is the time to be intentional about listening for what God has to say to us and how he is calling us.
Now is the time to be intentional about serving, about practicing what the Apostle Paul urged … “Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of others.” (Philippians 9:4)
Now is the time to offer the world Jesus and the abundant life He promised now and for eternity.
Now is the time. ~ Forrest
***For information on Mission opportunities listed below or to sign up, contact Forrest, Director of Mission Ministries
