Living in the Moment

My recent vacation has turned out to be profitable for my job as a freelance writer. While discussing those few days with a couple of friends, God has revealed to me how my cell phone and smart watch (which I accidentally left at the hotel and am STILL trying to adjust to life without it) are preventing me from living in the moment. We are so distracted by things of this world, we miss out on life. 

My co-author and I were discussing creation and creativity… how God is The Ultimate Creator.  She told me how the sky was such a glorious shade of pink underneath a puffy gray cloud, she rushed to take a picture,  and it was gone by the time she found her phone.

During my vacation, I walked my dog around the lake at 6 am before people crowded the streets. Desiring quality prayer time, I  purposefully left my cell phone in the hotel so I could take in the ambiance and silence 

While having dinner with my Godparents and close friends, I only used my phone to take pictures because I was so engaged in conversations. I didn't want to miss anything. 

When driving steep mountains in the rain and fog at night, this Florida girl gripped the steering wheel to focus on the semi lights ahead. I didn't even listen to the radio, much less pick up the cell phone, for I needed to completely focus on the journey, not daring to look to the left or right. I kept my focus on repeating Bible verses for comfort.

As I type this on my tablet,  I am fighting the distraction of my phone beeping text message alerts in the other room. I need to silence the phone to stay single-minded. Too often, my phone keeps me from living in the moment. Think of how offended it is when you are trying to talk to someone and they are busy looking at their phone. We do that to Jesus, missing out on hearing from Him and appreciating His creation. 

He tells us in Jeremiah 33:3 to call on Him and He will show us unsearchable things we do not know. We call other people and search Google for answers to questions only God can provide. Trying to find information on social media keeps us from living in the moment. We put so much effort into trying to take control, we miss out on what truly matters. 

As my co-author suggested, we need to enjoy creation, actively participate in life instead of just taking pictures of it.