Coming back to a vacation spot of my youth is fascinating. The flood of memories just continues! Old places jump out when I least expect it. Faces that I did not know I knew are so very familiar. Journeys to tourist spots transport me back to being twelve. I have carried much in my possession that I never knew I had.
Being apart from the family brings the same type of memories and emotions. Solomon suggested that I should “enjoy the wife you married as a young man!” (Proverbs 5.18) Too often, I find myself hung up in getting things accomplished, trying to gain the next step, or solving some cosmic problem or two. Living in the grace of the moment is one of the most difficult challenges that one can face.
Shillong is a long way from anywhere. Sure, I can find Internet cafes around town, but they are not easy to get into (waits of an hour or more). Yes, telephones work; however, the noise and cost are high enough that everyone should avoid using this tool unless there is a crisis. Yet, I carry with me the closeness that comes with a family growing together.
I wonder what else you and I carry that we easily forget. Do we realize just how much God loves us? Is the fact that God’s view of us is unconditional in our back pocket? Can anyone see what we carry? Do we?
As I stroll the streets and find myself bathed in smiles and laughs, I remember all the good things that I have. I find myself bathed in the Spirit. The Presence is apparent everywhere I look. I can only hope that others find the same in me.
You too carry much with you. You posses the gift of God at all times. God chose you before you knew He existed. I know the challenge in living with this knowledge. It is easy to lose sight. Being overwhelmed is a natural event. Remember God’s gift and enjoy the moment. Walk in confidence knowing what you carry.
