Moments

Our lives are made up of moments.  When we reminisce, we often remember notable moments.  For example, thinking back to my earliest memories, I remember being at home with my mom while my brothers were in school.  During that time, we did many things together.  But a memory that stands out in my mind is the day that my brothers’ pet lizard escaped from their bedroom and ended up in the kitchen.  My mom and I were at the dining room table where we would often spend time so I could color, practice my alphabet, or such like things while she drank her tea.  There was a swinging door between the dining room and kitchen.  This particular morning, my mom pushed the door open to go into the kitchen but froze in her tracks because she saw the lizard in the middle of the kitchen floor.  She gasped loudly and let the door swing shut.  She thought for a minute then got a box and a book.  She went into the kitchen, put the box upside down over the lizard and the book on top of the box.  And that was where the lizard stayed until my brothers got home from school.  I can’t tell you everything that my mom and I did back then, but that moment is a vivid memory.  I bet if I could ask my mom, she would tell a different story about that moment because of her perspective.  And that’s okay.

Our moments are uniquely our own just like our memories.  You have probably observed times when someone else’s memory of a shared experience is different than yours.  That is because moments are personally perceived and therefore uniquely remembered.  Our past moments become our memories; and our perceptions are flavored by a concoction of our memories.  Special occasions are moments that highlight our memories.  Extraordinary or overwhelming events are moments that stand out in our minds.  Life-changing moments are usually deeply etched in our memories.  And all of these make us unique. 

Think about the moment that you got saved.  Salvation is not only a distinctive moment for each of us; it also brings unique deliverance because no two lives are exactly the same. I can’t specify the moment that I got saved, but I can tell you about the moment that I knew beyond any doubt that I was born again.  One evening while reading my Bible, I felt an oppressive presence around me.  I didn’t know many scriptures at the time, but I had read the verse that says, “at the name of Jesus every knee should bow” (Philippians 2:10).  So, I commanded that the presence leave in the name of Jesus Christ, and it disappeared immediately.  That moment changed my life because I knew that I had the power of God inside me.  It changed the way I thought about my life and the way that I wanted to live it.  It opened the door to a new life, a very different life from the one that I had been heading toward. 

That moment also changed the way I thought about other moments in my life.  It began to show me that I could cherish good memories and refute bad ones.  That moment allowed me to appreciate my past but not be constrained by it.  It showed me that my past was in the past, and that I could live today in the liberty wherewith Christ has made us free. (Galatians 5:1) 

Of course, that moment didn’t automatically change my life.  I had to continue working to learn God’s Word and believe It.  And that is an ongoing daily process.  But isn’t it marvelous to have the freedom to choose what thoughts we keep in our minds and what ones we put away from us?  Not everybody knows that they can renew their minds.  They are haunted by their past and uncertain of their future.  We who know the Good News can surely help them by taking a moment to speak God’s Word to them.

All the moments of our lives contribute to who we are.  Being born again brings momentous change to our lives, but we may still be saddled with moments from the past that try to tear us down.  We need not be in bondage to any of them.  We can live without regrets.  We can succeed today where we failed before.  We can determine to not let the hurtful things of the past drag us into reliving their pain.  We can view our past as merely a steppingstone to get us where we are today.  And we can be thankful for what we’ve learned on our journey.  If we aren’t happy where we are at this moment, we can continue to learn, grow, and change so we can make tomorrow better.  Being a Christian is truly a wonderful life. 

And if all of that isn’t enough, we still have a moment to look forward to.  A moment that will change life as we know it forever.  A moment that will make every past moment inconsequential.  That moment is described in the first letter to the Corinthians.

1 Corinthians 15:52

In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

This will be the moment when the Lord comes back to gather us together unto him.  It will be the moment that all born again Christians will meet the Lord in the air and so shall we ever be with the Lord (1 Thessalonians 4:17).  I often picture this moment and the celebration that will follow.  What rejoicing there will be!!  What a glorious family reunion!!  Talk about a moment, this will be a MOMENT!!  This moment is a guaranteed victory for each and every one of us. Whether our lives are messy or neat, all will be made perfect at this moment!  None of the trappings of this life will matter after this moment.  And this moment could occur at any time. 

This life is short. Forget the painful past and reach forth to the fabulous future that God has prepared for us.  Remember always, “in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye…” might happen today! 

Note to my readers:  I pray for you to have many beautiful moments in your life now and I look forward to seeing you at our great family reunion!  Thanks for reading!