Be Present: Embracing Holy Moments With Jesus

Would you consider yourself a spontaneous person? Are you willing to adjust your schedule to “be present” in a moment—or do you require advance notice or a calendar invite? Planning is good, but if we become too rigid with our routines, we can miss some of the best moments of our lives with those we love—and even with God.

A Burning Bush Moment

Moses’s life was interrupted one day, and his daily routine was thrown out the window. He was busy tending his father-in-law’s flock when something caught his eye: a bush on fire engulfed in flames! Surprisingly, the bush was not burning up.

“‘This is amazing,” Moses said to himself. ‘Why isn’t that bush burning up? I must go see it” (Exodus 3:3 NLT).

The Bible tells us that Moses “turned aside” to go and see this wondrous thing. When God saw He had captured Moses’ attention, He spoke.

“When the Lord saw Moses coming to take a closer look, God called to him from the middle of the bush, ‘Moses! Moses!’

‘Here I am!’ Moses replied…

‘Take off your sandals, for you are standing on holy ground'” (Exodus 3:4-5).

Moses experienced a holy moment with the living God because he spontaneously embraced him. He turned aside from his daily routine to “be present” with God.

Don’t you wish you were more present for a moment like this—a true calendar moment you’ll never forget? Sometimes, simply stepping away from the ordinary can open up opportunities.

A Chance to Check Priorities

Mary, Lazarus’s sister, offers more inspiration to clear our calendars when God comes near. Jesus had come to visit his friend Lazarus. Their older sister Martha was busy in the kitchen, preparing a big meal she had planned.

Can you imagine Martha slaving away in a hot kitchen, hurrying to and fro? The more she worked, the more frustrated she became that her sister Mary wasn’t in the kitchen helping. Where was she?

Meanwhile, Mary was sitting at the feet of Jesus, listening to His teaching, embracing a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity with the Lord. Martha came to Jesus and complained.

“‘Lord, doesn’t it seem unfair to you that my sister just sits here while I do all the work? Tell her to come and help me'” (Luke 10:40).

Can you hear the little bit of whine in her voice—the frustration and weariness? Jesus was so kind to her in His response. He wasn’t concerned about dinner; He had other things on His mind.

“But the Lord said to her, ‘My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details! There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her'” (Luke 10:41-42).

Mary dropped everything to embrace this moment. Some would say she shirked her responsibilities to settle in at Jesus’s feet. Somehow, she understood that this was a moment not to be passed by—to listen and learn and experience a holy moment with her Lord. Jesus defended Mary’s choice and offered Martha an opportunity to reset her priorities.

We’ll never know if the meal was served. The Bible doesn’t tell us if Martha dropped her dinner plans and joined her sister Mary at the feet of Jesus. We hope she did.

A Holy Interruption

The shepherds on the hillside outside Bethlehem were tending their flocks when an amazing thing interrupted their routine.

“Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified” (Luke 2:9).

The angel announced to them the good news of the Savior’s birth. As the shepherds watched, a vast host of angels appeared in the sky, “praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased'” (Luke 2:14-15).

The shepherds had a choice: stay in the fields with the flocks or go and see this thing the Lord had told them about. What would you have done? Would you have had to check your calendar and your priorities?

The shepherds talked among themselves and came to a consensus. “‘Let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this thing that has happened which the Lord has told us about'” (Luke 2:15).

The Bible says they “made haste!” The shepherds hurried to the village and were among the first to see the baby Jesus lying in the manger.

What an experience! What a holy and wonderful moment to tell your kids and grandkids about—and it happened because they were willing to embrace the spontaneity. They were willing to turn aside from the ordinary to embrace the divine.

Learning to Be Present

I’m all for planning moments with God. I set my alarm every day, rising early to read my Bible and pray. But I’m also learning to be “in the moment” and embrace spontaneous opportunities that come my way.

What about you? Is God calling you to reprioritize your day—to let the dishes soak, or the dust gather so you can experience something from heaven? Is He inviting you to take off your shoes and stand on holy ground? To worship at the manger or settle in at His feet?

There is a holy moment before you.

“‘Come away, my love…'” (Song of Solomon 8:14).