December 3, 2005
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Keeping a Quite Heart in December!
Well, it’s officially begun! The December crazies are upon us! Women running from store to store trying to beat the holiday rush to find the perfect gift, marathon baking stints, box after box of wrappings and decorations being drug in from the garage and attic, midnight wrapping escapades and sleepless nights. It makes a person hyperventilate to just think of it. If I look ahead to all that needs to be done this month it certainly has the ability to steal my peace of mind. So, I’ve put my mind to remembrance that TODAY is all I am to be concerned about. I’ve fixed my mind on the PRESENT MOMENT and each time TOMORROW rears it’s ugly head I remind myself that I am only promised the present moment. I’m not even promised my next breath so why allow the peace from this present moment to be stolen by something that may never even arise.
One of my favorite authors is Elisabeth Elliot. She has two teachings that have been life changing and they are called, The Gift of the Present Moment (Ps. 16:5) and Do the Next Thing.
Here are a few excerpts from an article she wrote for Gateway to Joy many years ago called The Present Moment and the Power of God’s Love. I pray it will bless you this month as you go about your holiday preparations.
“We do need to concentrate on the present moment instead of getting ourselves all tangled up in the past and the future. Verse twelve in Psalm 90 says, “Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” Think about all the ways in which you can waste your days, and all the very exciting things that people can say you’ve got to do, you’ve got to go there, you’ve got see this, you’ve got to buy that. The truth is, we’ve only got this one day, so are we being reasonable when we think that we can arrogate to ourselves years and years.
I use the way sacrament, which may not be familiar to all of you, but its simplest definition is a visible sign of an invisible reality. To God this present moment is just one of all the moments He knows of all eternity. But for you and me, this is the present moment, so this is a visible sign of the invisible reality of God’s sovereign rule over everything–everything that’s happening. That ought to bring us peace.
The carrying out of God’s purpose for us this day, this hour, this minute, now. God is going to give us this grace if we long for it and ask Him for it. He’s always giving good, someone has said, as fast as He can get us to take it. God is always giving good as fast as He can get us to take it, but we’re not by any means always ready. “
Let’s purpose in our hearts to ask for God’s grace in abundance this month!
Blessings to each of you!
Georgene
Comments (4)
Thanks for that devotion.I have enjoyed Christmas so much more,now that my kids are grown.I dont have to worrry about all the toys,and stress that causes.I enjoy the giving so much more now. I like to try and focus on the fact that we have the gift of Jesus.It is so much better to give than recieve.
That is such a timely teaching for me. i am not a rush-about shopper but i do have many gifts to make along with my ever-present projects and responsibilities. i find myself being paralyzed by “Help, what do i do?”, so i do nothing and then feel guilty. “Do the next thing” has been a guide for me for years. It would be my mantra if i believed in such things. Thanks for the reminder. Have a blessed weekend in the Lord.
I love that about the sacraments, which are a visible sign of an invisible reality. What a wonderful thought as we think of the present moment as the visible expression of all the invisible moments that God has already executed or has planned.
And the greatest good, the greatest blessing that He gives us is Himself. He is the fulfillment of all our desires. I desire to know Him more.