Find Joy In The Ordinary
We played every game we knew. We ran up and down the hall. We
played "find me" behind the couch. We bounced the beach ball off each
other's heads. We wrestled, played tag, and danced. It was a big
evening for Mom, Dad, and little Jenna. We were having so much fun
that we ignored the bedtime hour and turned off the T.V. And if the
storm hadn't hit, who knows how late we would have played.
But then the storm hit. Rain pattered, then tapped, then slapped
against the windows. The winds roared in off the Atlantic and gushed
through the nearby mountains with such force that all the power went
off. The adjacent valley acted as a funnel, hosing wind on the city.
We all went into the bedroom and lay on the bed. In the darkness we
listened to the divine orchestra. Electricity danced in the sky like
a conductor's baton summoning the deep kettledrums of thunder.
I sensed it as we were lying on the bed. It blew over me mixed with
the sweet fragrance of fresh rain. My wife was lying silently at my
side. Jenna was using my stomach for her pillow. She, too, was quiet.
Our second child, only a month from birth, rested within the womb of
her mother. They must have sensed it, for no one spoke. It entered
our presence as if introduced by God himself. And no one dared stir
for fear it would leave prematurely.
What was it? An eternal instant.
An instant in time that had no time. A picture that froze in mid-
frame, demanding to be savored. A minute that refused to die after
sixty seconds. A moment that was lifted off the time line and
amplified into a forever so all the angels could witness its majesty.
An eternal instant.
A moment that reminds you of the treasures surrounding you. Your
home. Your peace of mind. Your health. A moment that tenderly rebukes
you for spending so much time on temporal preoccupations such as
savings accounts, houses, and punctuality. A moment that can bring a
mist to the manliest of eyes and perspective to the darkest life.
Eternal instants have dotted history.
It was an eternal instant when the Creator smiled and said, "It is
good." It was a timeless moment when Abraham pleaded for mercy from
the God of mercy, "But if there are just ten faithful." I was a
moment without time when Noah pushed open the rain-soaked hatch and
breathed in the clean air. And it was a moment in the "fullness of
time" when a carpenter, some smelly shepherds, and an exhausted,
young mother stood in silent awe at the sight of the infant in the
manger.
Eternal instants.
You've had them. We all have. Sharing a porch swing on a summer
evening with your grandchild. Seeing her face in the glow of the
candle. Putting your arm into your husband's as you stroll through
the golden leaves and breathe the brisk autumn air. Listening to
your six-year-old thank God for everything from goldfish to Grandma.
Such moments are necessary because they remind us that everything is
okay. The King is still on the throne and life is still worth living.
Eternal instants remind us that love is still the greatest possession
and the future is nothing to fear.
The next time an instant in your life begins to be eternal, let it.
Put your head back on the pillow and soak it in. Resist the urge to
cut it short. Don't interrupt the silence or shatter the solemnity.
You are, in a very special way, on holy ground.
~ Max Lucado, © 2005 ~
With more than 28 million books in print, Max Lucado has touched millions with his signature storytelling writing style. Awards and accolades follow Max with each book he writes. Max is the first author to win the Gold Medallion Christian Book of the Year three times -- 1999 for Just Like Jesus, 1997 for In the Grip of Grace and 1995 for When God Whispers Your Name.
Max serves as the pulpit minister of the Oak Hills Church of Christ in San Antonio, Texas. But he says his greatest accomplishment is finding a one-in-a-million wife in Denalyn and having three unbelievable daughters: Jenna, Andrea, and Sara.
You can visit his website at: http://www.MaxLucado.com
[ by: Max Lucado, Copyright © 2005 -- from 'Heart Touchers' (Stories@HeartTouchers.com) ]
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