The Here and Now
Dearly beloved of God, we can reminisce about past times, past miracles, past events, people we have known and loved, and things we have done, but we can only live in the here and now.
There is nothing wrong with having memories. Once, at a time I was at the end of my rope God inspired me to write down a miracle in which He had allowed me to participate. I wrote it down, and then another one came to mind, and then another. Before I knew it I had filled several pages with God’s mighty works, and I broke down and started to sob. I asked God to forgive me for being so unthankful, and for doubting Him, and feeling sorry for myself.
I did not deserve to have Him show me such great grace in my life, but He did. Who am I? I am what I am by the grace of God, and so are you. If God had given me the new birth and nothing more, I should have been so thankful, but by His great grace there has been so much more.
There have been times in my life that I was so emotionally overwrought and broken hearted that I allowed the hurt to overshadow the goodness of God that He had shown me, and the deliverances which He allowed me to be a part of in people’s lives. I was such a fool before Him.
Each time I hit a new low in my life, He would deliver me with a new high. When I thought that I could not go on, He always did something that only He could have done to lift me up. We all have our own personal experiences that we share with God alone. His grace is sufficient for us.
Whether the past was wonderful or not, it is still the past. We do not live there, we live in the here and now.
It is not how long ago we heard the Word of God that is important, but do we believe it today is what is important. It is not what you or I did forty or fifty years ago that is of consequence, but are we walking with God today is what is key. We live in the here and now, dearly beloved of God.
God is the same today as He was yesterday; He does not change. He will be the same Living God tomorrow. We can count on Him to perform His Word. He is faithful that promised.
We live in the here and now, dearly beloved of God, and we must look to God our Father to direct our paths, to hear our prayers and answer them, to deliver us, to heal our minds and bodies, to fight for us, to provide for our every need, and to work in us to will and to do of His good pleasure. He alone is our sufficiency in the midst of all the daunting circumstances we encounter. He is God our Father. Look to Him. Be confident in Him! His grace is sufficient whatever we may face.
Psalm 34:1-19
1 I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth.
2 My soul shall make her boast in the Lord: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad.
3 O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together.
4 I sought the Lord, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears [from all that made him afraid].
5 They looked unto him, and were lightened [were radiant]: and their faces were not ashamed.
6 This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles.
7 The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.
8 O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.
9 O fear the Lord, ye his saints: for there is no want to them that fear him.
10 The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing.
11 Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
12 What man is he that desireth life, and loveth many days, that he may see good?
13 Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile.
14 Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.
15 The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry.
16 The face of the Lord is against them that do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.
17 The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles.
18 The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit [a bruised or broken heart].
19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all.
The psalmist had fond memories of deliverance in his life, but he lived in the here and now. We do not have less than the psalmist had; we have much more.
We are super conquerors through him that loved us. In Christ Jesus our Lord we have the victory that overcomes the world. We have the victory over sin and death through him. God always causes us to triumph in Christ. He that is in you, is greater than he that is in the world. We have access to the Father by the spirit. The Father freely gives us all things with His beloved Son. He blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realm. We are God’s dearly beloved children, and we are highly favored in His sight. He will never leave us, or forsake us. It is Christ in you, the hope of glory. and we will acquire the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Have fond memories of the past, but live in the here and now, dearly beloved of God. The reality of the presence and power of God in our lives is an ever present reality.
Dearly beloved of God, press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.