Mindful Presence

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Acts 17:27–28 (KJV) That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us: For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.

What It Is Speaking to Me

It is the simplest, most basic things in life that we take for granted. Statistically, if you grew up in America, you probably never had to wonder if there would be a roof over your head or food on the table at mealtime. Whether it was your parents or other guardians who looked after you, they took care of the basic necessities — food, clothing, and shelter — throughout your childhood. Maybe later in life you visit a poor country and realize those three basic necessities are not to be taken for granted. You come home with a greater appreciation for the most basic things you had overlooked. I can say this from personal experience, because it is exactly what happened to me.

I grew up certainly not wealthy, but I had a roof over my head, food on the table, and clothes on my back. My parents worked hard to provide those things for me. When I was 15, I went on a mission trip to Costa Rica and one day ministered in one of its largest slums. We dug a latrine for a teenage mom with two or three kids who lived in a 10x10 shack with no water, electricity, or even a real door — just dirty metal walls, a muddy floor, and some blankets to sleep on. I came home very grateful.

It is the most basic things we take for granted. And even more basic than those are the things mentioned in this verse — our ability to breathe, think, and act. Those are the very foundation of human existence and our capacity to even articulate what human existence is. They are the things we take most for granted, at least until we see one or more of them begin to fail in ourselves or others.

But today, you are reading this devotional, which means you are currently blessed with all three of these faculties. Let's not take them for granted today. Let's pause and show our gratitude for this miraculous gift we call life. Let's acknowledge our Creator, who places these abilities within us and sustains them until it is time for us to go home to Him.

The most important things are the things we take for granted — but not today. Today, God gets the gratitude. Today, He gets the glory from His creation.

What Is It Saying to You?

• What do you take for granted in your life?

• What acts of life do you not think about, and could give God thanks for?

What Are We Going to Do About It?

Pause three times during the day to acknowledge that your ability to breathe, think, and act comes from God.