Post #60- The Sacredness of Now

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(Forgive my 9 year-old heard in the background of the recording)

“Never put off for tomorrow, what you can do today”

~Thomas Jefferson

“There is no time like the present”….is yet another adage that is often thrown around; however, all quotes and quirky sayings aside, I’ve come to realize that there is truly no gift like the present. Just think about it. To live in yesterday produces regret and to live in tomorrow produces worry, but being fully present in the now is a spiritual practice that offers unexplainable joy.

Last Easter I began meditating as part of my Lenten journey. During Lent (or the 40 days, minus Sundays, leading to Easter) many Christian traditions encourage us to sacrifice something in honor of Christ’s sacrifice. So, last year I chose to give up time by getting up 30 minutes earlier to meditate. While this may not seem like much, the thought of moving my 6:30am wake up time to 6:00am caused me a little trepidation. However, I can honestly say it changed my life.

Meditation caused (and continues to cause) me to slow down….to get centered and be fully present. No doubt some of you are thinking that being fully present sounds good, but what does it mean? I sincerely believe that many of the crises, disturbances and “wildfires” that pop up in our lives serve as nothing more than a reminder for us to slow down and be present. We must make it a spiritual discipline to not dwell on the events of the past, nor the uncertainty of the future, but to be FULLY present in the sacredness of the now because it’s truly all we have.

We (meaning I) have spent too much energy on the laments of the past and the stresses of the future. I can’t tell you how many times (usually daily) I have to remind myself to let go of yesterday’s regrets, knowing the woulda, coulda, shouldas of yesterday do nothing but steal the peace of today. Likewise, I am usually tempted daily to fret about the lack of money, time, resources, etc. of tomorrow, yet have to remind myself that I am literally, in this very moment, provided for and taken care of therefore I will, in the words of Jesus, let tomorrow take care of itself (Matthew 6:34). So, I commit myself to let go of worry and regret and pain and frustration, to stop foreboding joy, so that I may see the things, people and circumstances of my life with new eyes, as for the first time.

So, I challenge you, allow your life to be renewed by finding your joy-place. Live with purpose and the intention to be present in the now. When you are tempted to lose the blessing of right now, find your place of joy and contentment. Conquer that which tempts you to stray from the present by asking yourself, what remnants of yesterday are you holding to? What about tomorrow won’t let you rest? Why scares you to the point you can’t genuinely experience joy? When you see your children/grandchildren, family members or loved ones, do you beam with love and joy for them or do you criticize with judgment? Even in the midst of obstacles, pain or cabin fever (upon writing this a third of the country is experiencing ice and snow storms trapping them indoors), are you anxious about what’s to come, or are you simply enjoying what is without stressing about what could or will be? Can you see the beauty in right now, regardless of how ugly it seemingly is?

Listen…there is a holiness in the present moment….a sacredness in the now and if you are preoccupied with the past or future, you’ll miss the blessing of today. Let’s make a commitment to each other, that we’ll complain less, and be thankful more. Right where you are, as you are reading or listening to this post, stop…pause….be thankful…be centered and be present. In other words, show up for your life. Feel the cool breeze of God’s spirit and notice the beauty all around you….right where you are. The studio apartment, the 4-bedroom home, the living room, the city bus, the luxury car. Wherever you are, feel the breath filling your lungs, be present and be thankful. For….

This is not the end of your story. Your best days are not behind you; they are ahead of you. Indeed your best day is right now, for your presence in the now creates a space to allow the Divine to move and perform and live and be. Your self-awareness, your presence opens a God-sized space for the sustenance of the All-Sufficient One, and without this space, you wont have the capacity to receive all of the #bigthingscoming.

NOTE: If you’re new to the site it might be helpful to read the first (introductory) post. Also, feel free to post your questions or comments here and you can always reach out to me on Twitter @raycjordan using the hash tag #bigthingscoming.

(Copyright, 2013, Ray Jordan)