"Be Present"

July 31, 2023 | By Chuck

          I have heard for years athletes say, “I just have to stay in the moment and not get ahead of myself.” Golfers will speak about not getting ahead of themselves by thinking about the next hole instead of focusing on the next shot. Sometimes I think we Christians get ahead of ourselves. Our lives are so busy and at times hectic and moving quickly that it is easy to think about tomorrow, next week, and even next month. We can live in the past, or we can live in the future, or in the present. The past is done and we can’t change it, so why dwell on it? And, none of us have a clue what the future will be so why worry about it?

            Jesus in what is known as the model prayer said, “Give us this day our daily bread.” (Matthew 6:11) “This day,” today, the present. We need to learn to just be present, not living in guilt over the past or worried about the future, just present. As Christians, we need to be present with the Lord.  Husbands and wives must be present for one another. Parents must be present for their children. At times we may be there physically, but our mind is somewhere else, the past or the future.

We borrow so many burdens from the past and so many possible problems from the future that it can be hard to stay focused and be present. As the prayer is worded, “give us this day.” May we strive to be present for the Lord and others this day, today.