Day 260- A Stool First

I had several plans for a "first" today and they all fell through.  I decided not to do one so I could do another.  The last one did not work out and then it was too late to do the first one.  I was at church tonight wondering what my "first" would be.  Joel and I were turning off lights in the back of the church and he said, "Watch this, Dad."  We have a stool by the water fountain for the smaller people to use  to get a drink of water.  Joel got a running start and used the stool as a launching pad to jump up in the air. I thought to myself, "There's my 'first'."

Joel got a good running start and caught some decent air on his jump.  As I got ready to run (OK, not really run, but walk kind of fast), it occurred to me that this was probably not the wise thing to do.  What if the stool scoots out from under me?  What is I twist my ankle? What if I break mhy neck? I don't think Joel was concerned about this when he ran and jumped.  Running and jumping off of a stool when you are 10 is a different animal than when you have not done this in over 20 years. I'm pretty sure it's been longer than 20 years since I tried this.

Well, I decided to go for it in a subdued kind of way.  I sort of jogged/trotted/walked faster than normal up to the stool and jumped off.  It was not really a launching pad like Joel.  However, the stool did not slip out from under me and I did not break my neck so I counted this as a success.  It seemed to me I should give it one more try.  I did but did not really catch much more air than I did the first try.  Maybe just an inch or two.  Joel and I both thought it was fun. I do not think I will continue doing this as a spiritual discipline at church.  Rather, I will thank God that I did not get hurt and embarrassed.

What I thought about today's "first" was the importance of grabbing an opportunity when it comes.  I had a good opportunity early in the day, but I decided against it because of a different opportunity that I thought was going to happen but it did not.  It turned out that I had to risk life and limb to get a "first" because I did not take the ones that presented itself earlier.  OK, that is a bit dramatic, but you get the idea.

Sometimes we get opportunities to speak up for Jesus, pray with someone, share a Scripture, encourage someone, etc. but we think it will be a better opportunity later.  The later opportunities may never come.  I am learning to grab the opportunities that come along when they are here and not wait for something later.  The Bible says, "He again fixes a certain day, “Today,” saying through David after so long a time just as has been said before,

“Today if you hear His voice,
Do not harden your hearts.” Sorry about the really bad apostrophe use there.

 

The point is that we need to make the most of the opportunities today and not wait for some opportunity that may or may not come tomorrow.  When those of us who are saved stand before the Lord, we will be glad for those opportunities to share and demonstrate God's love that we took and not so much for the ones that we intended to take.  Make the most of today for the glory of God!!

 

Glad the abundant life is today

Barry

 

3 things I thank God for today

1. Wisdom that I find through my brothers and sisters in Christ

2. Harmonious church business meetings

3. I did not break my neck