Today Only Happens Once

“Now, today, this moment, is our chance to choose the right side. God is holding back to give us that chance. It will not last forever. We must take it or leave it.”

– C. S. Lewis

Life is short and time does not last forever. We are given opportunities and we have to choose whether or not we will take them. Sometimes we even have to create our own opportunities. It can be incredibly daunting but it’s not nearly as daunting as the thought of letting your life pass aimlessly by.

Ecclesiastes 3 tells us that there is a time for every season in our lives. I believe there is a time to wait and a time to act. Our whole lives cannot be spent waiting. We cannot wait til life shows up on our doorstep. We have to get on the boat and let out the sails. Then we can see where the wind will take us. Circumstances can’t do anything for us if we never put ourselves out there.

A life lived in fear is a life not lived.

Faith is what brings you to life. Doing something you never believed you could do. Achieving something you believed impossible. Doing something that frightened you. Overcoming. Allowing yourself to change and grow, rather than be hindered by fear of the unknown or fear of rejection. Trusting that even though you can’t see how things will pan out, you’ll get through it.

I think survival instinct kicks in. We just want to survive and so we put up a protective barrier. It may mean never going places we haven’t been before or it may mean distancing ourselves from those we love for fear of getting hurt. Merely surviving is not living.

To really live takes risk. You will never know how life will work out and the sooner we learn that, the more able we will be to really live.

As a Christians, we don’t need to be afraid of what life throws at us, because we know that all things work together for the good of those who love God (Romans 8:28). God promises, “I will instruct you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you” (Psalm 32:8).

And so I say, “I trust in you, O Lord, I say, ‘ You are my God. My times are in your hands’.” (Psalm 31:14-15a). I will not hold onto my life for fear of uncertainty. I will not harbour my time in fear and doubt, when I can place my life and time in your hands. You did wonders with this universe. I surrender myself to you. Make wonders through me.

Don’t be afraid to fail. As that old saying goes, “Don’t be afraid of growing slowly; be only afraid of staying still”.

Take the chance.

Today only happens once.

Shine A Little Lighthouse Light

“Lighthouse tall and grand
Standing on that cold headland
Shine your light across the sea
For a wayward sailor girl like me

Lighthouse man
Guide this sailor back to land
Steer my ship on through the storm
Back to water safe and calm

Sometimes I need a lighthouse for my own
Because it gets so dark I can’t see which way I’m going
Oh lighthouse man I’m all at sea
Shine a little lighthouse light on me.”

-Lighthouse, by The Waifs

Imagine being lost at sea. Everything is dark. Waves thrust against your wooden sides in an attempt to ruin your confidence, destroy your hope, end your journey and steal your life.

The watery mountains are crashing over onto the deck and the ship rocks violently back and forth. The rain in hammering down, hitting your skin sharp like pine needles.

The sails whip violently in the bellowing wind and the rain weighs them heavily down. The other men on the ship are pulling desperately at the ropes and clinging for dear life, for fear of being thrown over the edge to certain death.

You stand at the helm, trying your best to steer the ship. The rain is pelting and the sea is spraying so hard, it is a painful task just to keep your eyes open.

You’ve given up all hope and you figure, “What the heck, maybe there is a god up there in the sky somewhere,” in painful desperation you say, “it’s worth a try”.  So you pray that if God is real, he’ll show you the way, send you a sign. Something, anything.

And then you see a lighthouse on the horizon, shining it’s light into the distance. Hope, relief, joy wash over you. God hears your prayers!

I’m sure all of us have felt like this at some point in our lives. We are stuck in the middle of some sort of storm and we have no idea which direction to take. Even more so, each of us have come through these storms and we know the importance of a little light, or a little love shining our way.

This, however, is not about you. It’s about others. Everyday we meet people who are experiencing these storms. You can never tell what people are experiencing just by looking at them so we should never judge. We never know who is crying out to God. We might not realise how important the light is that we are shining.

What we should strive to do is to be a lighthouse. Stand tall and shine bright. Shine God’s love wherever we are, exactly where He has placed us. We are here for a reason, to bring glory and honour to him and to share his love, so that others might come to know him too.

Our light ought to shine, so that it guides others toward Jesus, the one true, living and loving God.

 ^{“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.  In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”}

-Matthew 5:14-16