Live NOW

The last few weeks, when I get a wandering thought, it often is one that is attempting to step back on life, look where I am, and where Im going. I suppose really, it's a natural exercise as many things change around me and in me and the dust settles from those immediate changing periods.

Sometimes healthily (in terms of vision and passion) and unhealthily (being disillusioned, impatient and unenchanted in what God has for me during this period) I look forward with more than eager anticipation, this is often a case of missing the adventure of what God has for me NOW by getting bogged down in everyday intricacies. I am settling down to work in an office, at a great, engaging job, thats allowing me to study at Uni and work my way out of debt and into financial preparation for ministry, this is such a gift from God, But yet I can grow dissatisfied because I am still looking to the final goal, the visions fulfillment, and not enjoying and living through the journey (Learning this for the 100th time!). Last night Stuart preached on going against the grain in our culture (hence artsy picture above), and although Ive probably heard and possibly responded to similar messages in the past I was challenged to live Now and not in the future, minister now and not in the future, live a life of love and compassion not despite working in an office in a western country but BECAUSE, and not just hold on until I "Really" get called somewhere. The truth is, if I cant live it out now, If I cant give everything to being Jesus where I am now, do I think I will be able to do it in the future? If I can't do my thing in Samaria, how can I ever go to the ends of the earth I remember John's Dad once telling a story about being serious about following Jesus, and I think the example works just as well for living missionally wherever you are. "The School Kid says when ever I get out of School Ill live for Jesus, but right now the peer pressure of my friends is too much, The College Kid says when ever I get out of College Ill really be serious for Jesus but right now I need to concentrate on my studies, The Middle Age Guy says when ever I retire Ill really be serious about following Jesus but right now I dont have anytime Now what If the middle age guy never makes it to retire, the kid out of school or the Student out of college, we have to live for Jesus today." I kept this story with me because it really challenged me as a young teenager to go for it today, It made me think What am I waiting for, there will never be a better, easier, "more right" time to do it. Decisions like that in my teenage life which God gave me the Grace to pledge are what brought me to where I am, and I always want to live like that, Pushing, Living, Loving, Noticing, Breathing everything of God in my life NOW and not just dream/put it off to the future.