My weary head finally hits the pillow. By the grace of God I take a moment to thank the Lord. I reflect back over the day and realize this is one of the first times I am acknowledging His presence. Sure, I found plenty of time to scroll through my Instagram and Facebook feeds and check my e-mail more times than I care to admit, but how much time did I spend with Jesus? With the One Who gifted me this day?
At best I’ve fallen into the habit of fitting the Lord into my days instead of centering my days around Him.
If you’re like me, it’s easy to find a “good” excuse as to why it ends up this way: I’ll pray when a free hour of peace and quiet opens up in my schedule, I think to myself. I’ll get out my Bible and prayer journal when the circumstances are more ideal. But we all know how that ends up, don’t we? That dreamy situation doesn’t arise, and we forget that now—this very moment—is what we have been given.
“Behold, now is a very acceptable time” (2 Corinthians 6:2).
Yes! Now is the time to get to know the Lord and His character, to serve the Lord in love, to pursue a more intimate relationship with Him.
Sisters, we aren’t promised forever here in this world. Let’s ask God for the faith to more fully receive the abundant grace He offers us today. Let’s put Him first and stop making excuses about whatever it may be—going to Confession, visiting Him in the adoration chapel, opening up the Word, inviting a friend to pray with us.
We know from Saint Paul’s witness that making the choice for Christ and living a Christian life won’t be easy, but it will always be the best choice to make. The one that leads to salvation.
“Behold, now is the day of salvation,” sisters (2 Corinthians 6:2). What are we waiting for?
The Practice of the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence touches on how to be present to God's presence at all times. It's a free to download and a quick read.
Elise Howe is a wife, mother, vocal artist, teacher, and writer. A lover of authentic beauty, Elise is most joyful when creating with the inspiration of the Divine Artist. A born-and-raised Midwestern gal, she happily resides in Michigan after several years "living the dream" in New York City. Elise has a heart for ministry, dark chocolate (but not too dark) and coffee with a generous amount of cream + sugar. Find out more about her here.