Live While You're Alive

Years ago, when our family was gong through a cancer health crisis, I read a book on alternative cancer therapies. It was a good book, but the best and most memorable part of the book to me was the introduction by Dr Patch Adams. You may remember the movie about this doc played by Robin Williams.

In the intro, the real Patch Adams said something I will never forget. He said, “Live while you’re alive.” He said probably for most of us it takes a life-threatening crisis like a cancer diagnosis to realize the preciousness as well as the brevity of life. It is then that people really begin to grab hold of each day as the gift it is.

So this is why I often think and write about our present tense gift called NOW, TODAY.

Maybe you read my previous post, “Embracing the Life that’s Mine, not the One I wish Were Mine.” I hope you did. In light of that, what does it mean to “live while you’re alive”? In other words, what does it really mean to live your real “today life”?

I was asking the Lord that question last night when I couldn’t sleep and then again this morning as I awakened. A series of words and phrases came to my mind. Here are some of them. I hope that one or two of them grab hold of your mind and heart, and by the indwelling Spirit of God, you will be able to better live out your precious “present tense life,” today!

Step into the moment. Stay in the moment with Me.

Open your eyes to Now! Look around you at what is. Jump into it.

Abide in Me, stay, remain, live from ME!

… abiding … never takes you out of the moment you are in ... Abiding is not primarily about cloister and quiet. The invitation to abide is the invitation to draw spiritual sustenance directly from its Supernatural Source amid the dailiness of life! ... If we abide, fruit happens! We do our part,  but there is a life that flows up through the roots and branches that is beyond our ability to understand or produce! Abiding is and always will be a moment by moment thing! (Discipleship Journal)

Be. Let your doing flow out of your being present.

Most people spend their lives trying to conjugate the verbs 'to want,' 'to have' and 'to keep'— craving, clutching, clinging—when all the Spirit wills us to do is to conjugate the verb 'to be.' (Evelyn Underhill, The Spiritual Life)

Let it unfold, day by day, moment by moment.

Picture yourself . . .

“Under My wings” now (click for verses of Scripture to help)
Cocooned in Me
Living from the “place of immunity”

Quit . . .

Resisting, fighting your present reality

Waiting for things to “settle down” or for this Covid thing to go away, or _____________

“Futuring” or agonizing over the past

And more important than all these thoughts are the words of HIM who is LIFE HIMSELF.

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. —- TODAY!
John 10:10 NASB

HIMSELF By: A. B. Simpson

Once it was the blessing, Now it is the Lord;
Once it was the feeling, Now it is His Word.
Once His gifts I wanted, Now the Giver own;
Once I sought for healing, Now Himself alone.

Once 'twas painful trying, Now 'tis perfect trust;
Once a half salvation, Now the uttermost.
Once 'twas ceaseless holding, Now He holds me fast;
Once 'twas constant drifting, Now my anchor's cast.

Once 'twas busy planning, Now 'tis trustful prayer;
Once 'twas anxious caring, Now He has the care.
Once 'twas what I wanted, Now what Jesus says;
Once 'twas constant asking, Now 'tis ceaseless praise.

Once it was my working, His it hence shall be;
Once I tried to use Him, Now He uses me.
Once the power I wanted, Now the Mighty One;
Once for self I labored, Now for Him alone.

Once I hoped in Jesus, Now I know He's mine;
Once my lamps were dying, Now they brightly shine.
Once for death I waited, Now His coming hail;
And my hopes are anchored Safe within the vail.

from A.B. Simpson's sermon Himself.

Not a “Sacred Song” but actually, yes, a sacred song if we receive each day as a gift form our Creator God and live it with our whole heart, allowing the indwelling Christ to live it through us in the NOW that HE has given us. Amen.