God in the Now!

I have a love/hate relationship with calendars.

I like to carry a monthly calendar with boxes big enough for my schedule, and notes for a given day.

I use it heavily as I guide my days of work, travel, family and fun.

I refer to it often, sometimes several times a day.

I like to have the months divided with tabs so that I can see which month I want to pull up.

I like space at the front and back of the calendar with notebook pages for notes, addresses, and information.

I don’t need a lot of color and fancy options. I don’t need this to tie back in with my computer or phone.

A calendar I used to use was specifically designed for pastors.

It held the particulars of the church calendar (like noting Ash Wednesday or Easter) and other tools of the trade!

This particular calendar used to be sent to us as a gift, now they want to charge a fee and that sent me to shop for calendars. Bad idea.

Now I have three I am juggling trying to decide which one I like.

I bought one on-line that looked perfect but it was not when it arrived!

It seems like every time I see one in a store it looks like it will meet my needs so I buy it.

Then I tried to use different colored ink for different type of meetings and that became a mess.

So, I believe I am going with the larger “large print” calendar and give the others away!

I know some people don’t ever use a calendar.

I know others that have everything on their I-phone or I-pad and are quite happy with their set-up.

I need to hold my calendar just like I am with books, magazines or newspapers!

I need to hold them in my hands and turn the pages.

No matter what you and I use to track our days, it’s God who has the Master Calendar!

These days only come one at a time.

I have met so many people in the hospital who had plans, and then illness or even death took over.

We make all kinds of plans for tomorrow, next week, next month and next year. We are not promised any of those, we are simply promised this day in which the Lord has made….today.

(Ps. 118:24). We have all heard those old adages: “today is the first day of the rest of your life,” or “ live for today” or today is a “gift” because it’s called the “present!”

I have never really understood the story of Moses first meeting God in Exodus 3:14.

God tells Moses to call Him “I am that I am!”

Now there are all types of analysis and study one can bring to these text, and many have.

For me, it brings comfort knowing God is with me, and with you, right now in this present moment.

I can feel God’s presence, I can be quiet and listen for God’s voice, I know God’s healing touch and I am stronger.

God did not say “I was” although we know God was.

God did not say “I Will be” although we know that God will be in the future of our lives.

This God of the past and future is where we can go to rid ourselves of unnecessary guilt and shame over the past or worry and anxiety of the future.

God says “I AM” and that’s enough for us, isn’t it?

God is in this moment, and you can mark that in your calendar and count on its promises!

Grace and Peace,

Pr. Doug Givan

Chaplain