Live in the present and be a present.
Here is it so close to Christmas, and I'm sure I'm not the only one looking for last minute gifts. We went to Walmart recently to find a very specific baby doll for my three year old and I can not find this thing anywhere... We settled for a different baby doll and I'm sure she won't even know the difference. You know what she will know, that we were together as a family on Christmas. She will remember all the things we did together and this baby doll will probably end up in a donate pile in two years. I have recently been reminded how important it is to be present in the lives of those around us.
Think about this.
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Jesus was the most present human to ever live.
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Did you get that? Jesus lived in the moment more than any other human being … ever. He understood the importance of being present in the lives of the people he encountered.
It’s so easy as busy moms to get caught up in the past. It’s easy to let the “remember when” and “wasn’t it so great when” take control and take our focus away from the right now. For me, currently with a busy toddler, an even busier seven year old, and expecting our third baby in a just a couple months, the statement that I have caught myself saying is “remember when she couldn’t walk and all she did was sleep and eat? Wasn’t that so easy?” In contrast, it’s equally as easy to get too excited about the future. “When the kids are this age then…” or “One day when this, then that”, these thoughts can creep up and bury themselves deep in your brain where it’s hard to pull them out.
We are encouraged in Matthew 24:42-44 to “Keep watch, because you do not know what day the Lord will come.” We are to live in anticipation of Jesus’ return. In the moments of everyday. If we truly believed that Jesus could come back “like a thief in the night,” (1 Thessalonians 5:2) at any point, wouldn’t that change the way we lived our daily lives? Jesus lived in the present moment and was a present to those He came in contact with. Literally He is a gift to us from God the Father. With Christmas being just a few days away, “presents” are on everyone’s minds. God gave us the greatest gift of all when he sent Jesus to this earth to save us from the hold of sin. We can be a gift to those around us as well if we will focus on Jesus and live in the moments with those around us.
What if, as mothers, we were to live more in each moment? If we were to stop and listen to our toddler’s story? What if we were to listen with the intent to understand, instead of thinking of a response, or just nodding and saying “wow that’s awesome” without even hearing their little voices. When we live in the present, we can truly be present for those around us. If we live in light of Jesus’ return, then we live in the moment of every moment. Waiting for Him, loving others.
Bible Verse: “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil” (Ephesians 5:15-16).
Something to think about: When was the last time you set your phone and to do list aside and just sat with your husband or kids and hung out? Try it tonight.
Prayer: Father God, help me to stop and sit in this moment with you now. Open my heart to the Holy Spirit and let me feel Him guide me through my day to day. Help me to live in the present with those around me like Jesus did. Show me how I can be more of a gift to the people I come in contact with
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