Greetings In the Name Above All Names!
How do we fully live in the present when the future is so uncertain? As I am writing this, Easter is less than 10 days out, and I am finding my imagination pulled into the narrative of Jesus’ last days on earth. Clearly, the hostility of the religious elite towards Him was at an all-time high. The disciples knew that going back to Jerusalem was not in His best interest, and yet Jesus insisted on it. While staying the course, Jesus made each day of Holy Week memorable and meaningful. I am fascinated with the way of Jesus. How do we live each day to its fullest, not knowing what is ahead of us? In other words, how do we keep the anxiety and worry of tomorrow from robbing us of this precious time we have right now?
We can learn so much about the way of Jesus, leaning in and learning how to pray as He taught the disciples. For the last several posts, I have had us look at the Lord’s Prayer. God wants to not only be our Father, not only our King; but He also wants to be our Provider. He said to pray like this, “Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our DAILY bread.” (Matthew 6:9-11)
Here are 3 Things You Need to Know about living in the present right now.
1. Our needs are not the same as our wants. We live in a culture colonized by a false gospel that says you need any number of things to be happy. I am reminded of the humble prayer found in Proverbs 30:8-9, for clearly, this person was aware of their nature: “First, help me never to tell a lie. Second, give me neither poverty nor riches! Give me just enough to satisfy my needs. For if I grow rich, I may deny you and say, ‘Who is the LORD?’ And if I am too poor, I may steal and thus insult God’s holy name.” God wants to bless His people, but we must never confuse our wants with our needs. Take a few moments today and reflect on your true needs, and thank God for not only His faithful provision but for the many extras He has given you
2. Do not neglect the deeper hunger needs of your soul. It is less about the stomach and more about the soul. We each have emotional and spiritual needs that, if unmet, lead to our inner person’s starvation. Sometimes our daily bread is the emotional fortitude or courage to have an honest talk with our boss at work. Other times, it is the peace needed as we wait on the doctor’s diagnosis or the grace of speech needed as we chat with a wayward child. He longs to be our ultimate provider. He wants to meet the deepest needs of our lives and nothing is too small to lay at His feet. Why? Because he is your Father, and he is a King, and He longs to provide for you.
3. Practice being present by articulating your needs to God. Before you press on with your day, try to unpack your heart to God. What are the specific things you need to happen today in your world? What is going on in your soul? If there is fear, there is a need for some daily bread from God. If there is anger, there is a need for some daily bread from God. If you are anxious, there is something there that only God can provide. Listen to the Apostle Peter’s exhortation in 1 Peter 5:7, “Cast your cares upon Him for He cares about you.” The Greek word for “cast” literally means to “throw.” It is from the same Greek word used to describe how the people threw their coats before Jesus as He rode a colt into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday (Luke 19:35). What did Jesus do with these thrown-down coats? He sat on them. Jesus wants to be over our worries, so they are not over us. The way of Jesus is for you to throw your needs under His care, for He cares about you.
God is a Provider, a friend, and Jesus understood this about His Father. Jesus could trust Him even in the uncertainty and turmoil, and He did so. I want you to lean into that, and I want you to experience it for yourself!
And know this, I’m praying for you. You are not alone.
Rick Lorimer
Lead Pastor
Christ Place Church
“The Future is, of all things, the thing least like eternity. It is the most temporal part of time–for the Past is frozen and no longer flows, and the Present is all lit up with eternal rays… Hence nearly all vices are rooted in the Future. Gratitude looks to the Past and love to the Present; fear, avarice, lust and ambition look ahead. For the Present is the point at which time touches eternity.” – C.S. Lewis
“Worry is a cycle of inefficient thoughts whirling around a center of fear.” – Corrie Ten Boom
“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.” – Philippians 4:6-7 (NLT)
