These Are Good Days

I think a lot of us are guilty of looking at past days and thinking they were better than the ones we currently face. To be sure, our temptation to long for the “good old days” is more enticing when the days look like the ones we’ve seen in 2020. But if we’re honest, there are many things to celebrate during these times. These are good days.

If you’ve been following the blog, you’ll recall my post about how I feel like the Lord has been quiet lately. It’s felt like He’s been absent and hard to find. That all changed for me this week.

I was riding my bicycle and reflecting on 2020. I generally hear the voice of the Lord while riding my bicycle down county roads, so off I went. The autumn leaves are amazing in Missouri right now — a perfect setting for seeking His presence. As I was taking in all the beauty, God spoke and His voice was both comforting and surprising. It was surprising because the words were not what I expected to hear. It was comforting because His words bring an otherworldly kind of peace.

If I’m being honest, I’ve allowed fear to wreck me all year. Many of us have. Since my entire year has been full of angst, I naturally took it with me on my bike ride. Through all my mental hop scotching, I heard the Lord say, “These are good days.” That can’t be right, I reasoned. Again, “These are good days.”

Like so many times before, a familiar Bible verse accompanied His voice. The verse was this: “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews‬ ‭13:8‬).

That did it. I needed nothing else. The truth of that verse hit me in a thousand different places.

Think about it. Nothing has changed about Jesus. Nothing will ever change about him. He will be gloriously enthroned as King of kings and Lord of lords forever, even as our “rulers” come and go.

Don’t Miss It

The reality is, we’ll look back on these days and think fondly of them. At least, I’m certain I will. I’ll miss watching my five daughters interact with each other as if life doesn’t have an ending. I’ll cherish the moments of exploring the patch of woods next to our house imagining we were in a new land embarking on a great adventure — which isn’t far from the truth considering we just moved into the neighborhood. Who knew finding abandoned shopping carts rusted from the abuse of weather could feel like finding treasure.

I think I’ll even miss the disputes that only children under the age of seven can have. Though I often allow these moments to cause me stress, I think they’ll be some of the best of my life. The crazy part is, it’s all happening right now, right before my eyes. These are good days.

My girls are so easily drawn into epic stories. Their imagination is a gift from God. I don’t want stress to keep me out of the stories they create in my living room and yard. I want to get involved and be on their level. Jesus does that for us. He does that for them. I also don’t want to miss the opportunity to love them well today because I know they’re in the most impressionable season of their life. I can’t afford to miss a single moment although, sadly, I do it all the time.

Every season of life has good moments, because every season of life has God moments. What can you and I do today to enjoy the life God has given us? The Lord has already provided everything we need to live with joy and hope. Our salvation is secure, therefore, we should say, “This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it” (Psalm‬ ‭118:24‬ ‭ESV). ‬‬

One more thought about not missing the moment.

I want to beware of daily expectations. Our family has celebrated three birthdays in the last month. One for our youngest daughter and another for our second set of twin girls. The expectation we create around birthdays is almost laughable. The days never turn out the way we anticipate. Instead of trying to create a fairytale for my daughters, I want to invite them into the greatest story ever told. A real love story about a King who defeats a great enemy. A story with heartache and redemption. A story that is better than a fairytale because it’s actually true. They play a role in the greatest story ever told.

These are good days, indeed. I don’t want to miss everything God is doing in my family. I don’t want to miss everything God is doing in the hearts of my children. He is on the move and working toward the restoration of everything we love.

Yes! These are good days.