Now. Here. This.
One of my favorite stories in the Bible is the story of Jonah. God calls Jonah to go to Nineveh and preach. Jonah heads the opposite direction. In fact, he runs to the nearest port and jumps on a ship heading to a city on the far side of the known world.
I don’t know about you, but there have definitely been times in my life when something like that has sounded very appealing. Sell everything I own. Go somewhere that is warm year-round. Find a job that is completely mindless. Leave behind the stress of life as I know it.
Years ago, I heard a pastor begin his sermon by saying, “You have everything you need to be completely content right here, right now. There is nothing else that you need to make your life complete, whole, joyful. Right now, God is providing you with everything you need.”
It’s hard to get my mind around that. But I do know that it is tempting to think my life would be so much better if… I’d just get that job promotion, if I’d just get into that college, if my boss were just a little more understanding, if I could just lose some weight, if he would just get well, if, if…
Of course, what happens is there is always another if. And when we go through life always anxious about the next if, we end up with this sense of discontentment—discontentment with who we are and with what we have, discontentment with those around us. We so often lose the present moment; we lose the ability to appreciate and enjoy what is.
Today, I pray that you would notice that God has indeed given you everything you need—maybe not everything you want, but everything you need—right here and right now. And in this noticing, may you find peace.
There’s an old mantra that is helpful to me: “Now, hear this!” Actually, it is Now… Here… This…
Let us pray: Gracious God, we don’t have to look far to see your blessings surround us on every side. And we trust that you are ever with us. As we grow in our faith and as we grow in our ability to serve you by serving the broken and hurting places of this world, we ask for courage, for strength, for contentment, and for a deep sense of your peace. Root us and ground us in your love. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Daily Message Author: Joe Albright
Rev. Joe Albright is a graduate of Flagler College and Columbia Theological Seminary. Together, he and his wife Robbie have five children. He loves spending time on the ocean and especially enjoys surfing and fishing. Before entering the ministry, Joe taught high school Spanish in Cape Hatteras North Carolina and Lawrence Tavern, Jamaica. He has pastored churches in Sarasota and Jacksonville, Florida and is currently serving Trinity Presbyterian Church in Palm Coast. Full Bio “I believe deeply in the power of the Gospel to bring hope, love, and new life. I have seen firsthand how this beautiful ministry of hope has touched people’s lives. It gives me great joy to serve Dial Hope as Lead Pastor.”
