Today I had to write the new year, 2020 for the first time. It was weird. Strange really. Writing out 2020 reminded me of a type of sci-fi movie that’s set in the future. Except, it’s today and not way off in the distance. The “future” is now and my new future has been pushed out to who knows where. Okay, I’ll stop right there. It was just strange. That’s all. Call me weird.
A new decade; Wow. Remember going from 1999 to 2000? I do, and even though no one was certain how our computers were going to handle it, I don’t remember it being that big of a deal. But for some reason going from our “teens” to our twenties, is both exciting and scary.
Exciting for me, because we are just that much closer to when Jesus will come and carry His children away into a heavenly home, where we won’t ever have to worry about what year it is, or getting older, sicker, sadder or helpless. That, my friend, is something worth getting excited about.
Scary, simply because as a human being living on planet Earth, you just never know what can happen next. Environmentally, I haven’t taken as good of care of my temporary home planet as I could; politically, it’s a mess here – just saying. Socially? Yikes, don’t even get me started. We have more ways to communicate than EVER, yet everyone is looking at a screen instead of people. They are watching numbers and letters instead of body language and facial expressions. Meeting a person without already knowing everything about them, rarely happens anymore.
Does anyone remember having a connection with someone as your eyes met while standing in line at the local cafe anymore? Call me a romantic, but we need to talk more. Face to face, not Facebook. I’m afraid that our “20’s” is only going to push us further away from real relationships than draw us closer. Come on people…put down the device! Look up and see people. Look them in the eye; smile; shake hands; give a hug; fist bump; wink (well maybe not right away); say “hi”. Simple things right? Don’t let all of our gadgets and electronics take away that one thing that separates us from all other species. We’re humans. Let’s behave like them.
God Himself, wanted to come down and live as a human, just so He could connect; relate; truly see; touch; heal and do miraculous things yes, but also simple human things. Like, let the little children come to Him and play and sing. He turned water into wine at a wedding. Sure, that was wonderful, but I love to just think about the fact that He actually went to the wedding he was invited to. I mean, he was God covered in human flesh. He didn’t have to go anywhere. But he chose to mingle with His creation. I love that.
He listened, he watched, he observed, he spoke. He used all of his five senses to live on this Earth. God of Heaven and Earth came to our dimension to live amongst us. Why? He didn’t have to. He was God. He knew each of us better than we know ourselves. But yet…He had a plan. He came and lived with us – human beings. Flawed. Horribly flawed, because He wanted to walk among us – and I personally believe, He didn’t want to be alone. I mean, Angels are nice, but He created amazing, complicated human beings and he wanted to rub shoulders with us. He loved us – so He became us. How amazing is that?
It all goes back to relationships; communication; connection. We try to reach for the stars and other planets where there might be alien life to communicate with, yet we can’t even get along with our neighbor.
So whatever time we have left with our temporary home, and whatever the date is that we write on a piece of document or letter, let’s be better. Let’s do better. Let’s love God more and love each other intentionally.
My future used to be 2020, but now that’s my reality. My future has been moved, but the One who holds my future hasn’t moved at all. He has never left me, nor forsaken me and that makes today exactly as it should be. My past is the past; my future is not guaranteed, but today is what I have and I want to live each moment of it with grace.
My personal goal for 2020 is that I see others the way God sees them and that I can see myself the way God sees me.
I can’t help but think of the lyrics to that old song “One Day at a Time” written by Marijohn Wilkin and Kris Kristofferson
Verse 2
“Do you remember; when you walked among men. Well Jesus you know, if you’re looking below, it’s worse now than then.
Pushing and shoving. Crowding my mind. So Lord for my sake, teach me to take, one day at a time.
Chorus
One day at a time, sweet Jesus. That’s all I’m asking of you. Just give me the strength to do every day what I have to do. Yesterday’s gone, sweet Jesus. And tomorrow may never be mine. Lord help me today, show me the way, one day at a time.”
So here’s to less fret and more faith in 2020.
Pam
P.S. the saying “less fret and more faith” did not come from me. I wish it had, but it’s the
title of a little book by Max Lucado. Giving credit to whom credit is due. Thanks Max.
Pam Torres | Author 