Enjoy the Here and Now

SHOUT the Cry of Victory 30 Days of Prayer Day 25–Preparing for Eternal Life One Day at a Time

The Lord cares about our lives now; He wants the best for us now.

In reading the story of Creation following the completion of days 1-5, we are told, “and God saw that it was good.” But on day 6, “And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.” In Genesis 1:31, it is evident that God was abundantly happy and well-pleased with the final results of our earthly home. Only who would enjoy this more than wonderful place?

And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness…So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. Genesis 1:26-27.

Although our earth is no longer a Garden of Eden, we are constantly reminded of God’s love of aesthetic beauty and tranquility. We can explore the endless boundaries of the geographical phenomenon of nature. The plant and animal kingdoms were created for humanity. Only the human body, which is fearfully and wonderfully made in the image of God, places one in awe over the earthly home that the Master Designer lovingly gifted to us.

The kingdom Plantae includes organisms that range in size from tiny mosses to giant trees. https://www.britannica.com/plant/plant/Definition-of-the-kingdom. The foliage, species of flowers, the grassy coverings, most trees, and the vast majority of plants belong to this category, shrubs, vines, flowers, fruits, vegetables, and legumes.

Does God want us to enjoy our lives? Yes, He does! We are made in His image with the ability to utilize five [highly complex] senses to appreciate our earthly home. The animal kingdom includes all species of mammals, reptiles, birds, insects, and more. And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat. Genesis 1:29. We have the blueprint for the original diet, which provides a variety of healing nutrients.

So why aren’t we enjoying the here and now? We have become addicted to our home environment fixated on virtual technology. The hoarding of material possessions has nearly wrecked our sanity. We worry about money, careers, the opinion of others, success, etc. The statistics of Mental illness has far surpassed the COVID-19 pandemic–970 million people have a mental illness or substance abuse problems. We are taking a pill to function in every aspect of our lives, and Big PHARM is well-pleased.

You may not agree with my statements. However, I worked as a Behavioral Health nurse for many years. The Intake Assessment of 99% of patients with mental health disorders including morbid obesity revealed that they rarely enjoyed the benefits of nature or outdoor activities. Anxiety, depression, food and substance abuse addictions, and a variety of mental health challenges would improve with the adjunct therapy of time spent in nature.

It is time to challenge and change our current lifestyles. Get out of your indoor home and explore your outdoor home. God has provided everything that we need to enjoy our lives. We have God’s promises that He will supply all of our needs. “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?'” Matthew 6:31. Simplify your life by eliminating the toxic people, counterproductive places, and the overabundance of things [inanimate objects] that leave us empty, and always provoke the desire to have more.

Human Effort + Divine Intervention = A Victorious Outlook and Outcome

“We must live a twofold life—a life of thought and action, of silent prayer and earnest work. The strength received through communion with God, united with earnest effort in training the mind to thoughtfulness and caretaking, prepares one for daily duties and keeps the spirit in peace under all circumstances, however trying.”― Ellen G. White, The Ministry of Healing

Prayer: Please, help us, Lord, to have eyes to see and hearts to believe. Give us the strength to discard unhealthy habits and to live with a spirit of gratitude. We ask this prayer in the Worthy name of Jesus. Amen. © 2021 Sonya Johnson