Day 31– Today – God’s favourite time
Morning prayer
Start you day with this prayer
Lord, thank you for your time
Thank you for the time You spent carefully creating this world
Carefully crafting us
And all that is around us
Remind us to live in our today
Every day
(Silence)
Amen
Prayer station
Use this symbol to lead you in prayer for the day.
Symbol: Watch
Today, think and pray together about how you use your time – together and alone.
How and where can you live slower and be more present in the moment?
Reflection
Read this reflection on the text for the day.
So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them – Genesis 1:27.
For many people it feels impossible to lead a slower life. How will I get through my entire to-do list? How will I be on time for all of my appointments? There are not enough hours in the day!
But did God not give us 24 hours every day because it is enough? God is not known for not giving enough or for giving too much.
The world we live in has sent a very clear message to us that we are only worth what we can produce or give. The more we can do, the more worth we have. But this is not how God sees us. On the contrary, our worth has nothing to do with us, but rather with the One who made us. God’s focus is on quality, not quantity.
One-day-at-a-time speed is not the same as do-nothing speed. People who live in the moment with God are not necessarily moving too slowly. No, they only stopped rushing around. Their hurried life made way for calmness; their worried expressions were replaced with joy.
By changing our speed from all-the-days-at-once to one-day-at-a-time we receive a wonderful quality of life. We learn to live in the moment, and stop working frantically towards the next one. We have time to find God in the ordinary moments and to walk with God. We have time for a quality relationship with God.
Lord, calm my heart so that I can live a quality life, and not just rush around. I want to see You in every ordinary moment of my day. Amen.
Liturgy for life
See the ordinary things you do in and around the house as signs of God’s care.
I love my present! A new day …
There was great joy in my home on Friday morning. Firstly, the president said that I may go jogging on Friday! (Wait, was that “may” or “should”?) Secondly, my wife gave both of our children a present because they are so well behaved in “mommy school”. The presents were activity books that she found somewhere. They weren’t expensive presents, but the joy they brought was boundless. Our son even hugged his book and declared, “I love my present!” They were truly grateful.
I realised again just how much I have to be grateful for. This is a theme we discuss so many times in our congregation. There are so many gifts we receive that we don’t consider as gifts anymore. If you read this piece (then I am grateful for that too!), you woke up with oxygen in your lungs. The gift of life has been given to you. The privilege of living another day with all of the possibilities and opportunities that it presents. Like my children, I would like to jump up and rejoice about every morning, telling God, “I love my present!”
We should be more aware of these gifts. We should be quiet for a few moments and think about all we have been given. Food, clothes, shelter, family, work, income …
Today, sit together as a family and make a list of all the things you are grateful for.
Children’s activity
Play with your children.
Wow! 21 Days of isolation. 21 Days in which we’re only allowed to be in our homes (or gardens) and can only go out for the most essential things like food and medicine. It can be a little rough! All the things we usually do during the day, like school, sport, church … are not happening anymore. It can really confuse you and maybe even bore you a little. These daily readings will help you to spend some time with Jesus every day in a creative and fun way. You can do these readings and activities by yourself, with your siblings, or with your entire family. Ask one of the grownups to post your activity on Facebook so that others can enjoy it with you. Tag it with #solitudecalendar #churchtogether
———————————
God gave us 24 hours every day to do all the things we need to do. But more than that, we only received so many hours so that we could enjoy the day to its fullest. As God’s representatives we were created to live life in abundance.
Which things that you do during the day make you happy?
What helps to make you feel better when you’re having a bad day?
Activity
Draw a picture of yourself and put it up somewhere in your home
Have you thought about all the things you do in one day? Write down your lockdown schedule. For example: When do you get up? When do you eat breakfast? When is it time for homeschooling? When do you play? When do you do your chores?
Picture this
– Draw your daily timeline (morning, afternoon, evening, or hour by hour).
– Where do you see God in all of these moments?
– Illustrate your ideal day or time with God: dance, photography, videography, music, poetry, drawing, painting or short stories.
Record it and share it with us on social media with the hashtag #countdowndoodles
Thank you’s and testimonies
Share your testimony with us! Use the online form below.
Bedtime story
Bedtime story by storyteller Ewald van Rensburg