Embrace Life
There’s nothing in our lives that says we’re supposed to be here forever. I’m going to embrace every minute that I can.
These are the words of a thirty-seven-year-old man who was recently diagnosed with ALS, or what you may know as Lou Gehrig disease.
As I read these words and his story, I wondered how do we embrace life during this pandemic?
Even beyond this pandemic, how do we embrace life, in every day, in every encounter, in every conversation, in every minute?
The other night, Leigh Anne and I sat outside with our chairs turned toward the light of a full moon. Two observations from that evening-
Observation #1 - I was reflecting on the vastness of creation, bewildered on how one could believe that this world we live in just happened… A big bang without any Eternal Mover bringing it all about. The sun, the moon, the stars, the galaxies, the earth with all the people…. As I stared at the beauty of a full moon, I worshipped the awesomeness of God.
Observation #2 - I was enjoying this moment with a person who has walked by my side for the past 38 years, 34 of those in marriage. She has seen me at my worst and has encouraged me when I was in my deepest lows.
She has laughed at my one liners and also reeled from my sometime overly direct and abrupt tone.
Here we were enjoying a moment, embracing life.
As I think about the other night and also about the young man’s quote on embracing every minute, I realize what it means for me to embrace life -
Embrace Wonder
I grew up in a faith tradition that placed a great deal of emphasis on doing right, proving my love for God by obeying God’s word. While I understand the importance of obedience, I also have learned to value the mystery, the wonder of God. Whether my faith teachers meant to reduce Christianity down to a list of do’s or don’ts, that’s what it became for me. My relationship with God was not much of a relationship, it was more of keeping the Big Guy’s to do list and never really getting to know just who is this Big Guy.
This past decade, I have enjoyed the writings and spiritual encouragement of those who learned to draw close to this fascinating, intimate, God. This God who reveals himself in the wonder of creation, in the beauty of others.
I embrace wonder by gazing at the full moon, watching the wind blow the huge trees beyond my backyard, observing the soaring of a hawk and the darting to and fro of the hummingbirds.
I embrace wonder by reading the words of Jesus as if a child sitting beside him as he teaches on a hillside.
I embrace wonder by sitting in the silent dark, knowing that I am not alone… the Creator of it all is with me.
A second way I embrace life is to
Embrace Another
These past years I realize there seems to be two opposite paths to take when it comes to people. One is to turn away from those who are different, who do not believe as I believe, vote as I vote, act like I try to act.
This path seems to be the one chosen by a lot of religious people I know.
The other path is to see the image of God in every person and to be open to what God wants to teach me about Himself, about others, and about myself. This path is involves embracing another… making time for conversation, learning how another person sees life, views issues, understands the mystery.
I do not suffer with a debilitating disease, but I do know that my time on this earth is limited. I do not feel the same pressure to embrace every minute as someone who knows his life clock is winding down quickly.
But I have reached a point in life where I am more determined to know and experience the mystery of God, and along with that I’m eager to embrace others who God brings across my life path to broaden my understanding of grace, truth and abundant life.